The spectacular Rhein in Flammen "Fire, Water, Light and Culture"
festival is staged along the Rhine, Germany's longest river, for five
days every year. Beginning in the spring and continuing until early
autumn.
It began in the 1930's but war and indifference brought it to an end, then a festival held in the mid eighties, with the first of five displays held in May, was a success.
Centered around a springtime Bonn, Germany's former
capital
in North Rhine-Westphalia, Die Nacht der Bengalfeuer, "Nights of Bengal
Fire", is an interplay of music, fire, water and light.
Traveling from Bonn to Linz, 60 illuminated ships sail under a sky filled by multicolored fireworks, past castles, palaces and mountains bathed in light.
For one night in July and August and two in September, each with a different theme, "Rhine in Flames" continues along the river.
July's theme is "The Night of Fire Magic", Die Nacht Des Feuerzaubers, and floodlit boats travel alongside the picturesque and ancient towns of Trechtingshausen, Bingen, Rüdesheim, and Assmannshausen, on the Upper Middle Rhine Valley.
Often known as the Rhine Gorge it is not far from Frankfurt, and an area of Germany settled in, or conquered by, the Celts and later Romans. Among many others.
For centuries this has been one of the country's major wine regions, and with its stunning beauty, fairy tale castles, terraced vineyards, history and culture, is one of Germany's UNESCO Heritage Sites.
As the night draws in at around 10 o'clock, and accompanied by the echoes of firecrackers, a first firework display begins below Trechtingshausen "Reichenstein Castle". An ancient and extraordinary background to a dazzling cascade of color, light and stars.
August is "The Procession to Koblenz", Strecke Spay-Koblenz,
the area where a festival first took place in 1766.
With 70 ships, castles, mountains, and centuries of history illuminated and ablaze with light, its procession is perhaps the most eye-catching.
The first in September is Die Nacht der Tausend Feuer, "The Night of a Thousand Fires", which accompanied by music travels from St. Goar to Oberwesel featuring some of the most spectacular of the firework displays.
Then comes the season finale.
The third Saturday of September, between St. Goar and St. Goarshausen, is named after the legend of the beautiful water spirit "Lorelei", who bewitched the hearts of seamen and lured them to their deaths. It is "The Night of Lorelei", Die Nacht der Loreley.
Although the deaths were probably caused by ships sinking because of the strong current at that spot, and the rocks just below river's waterline.
A gigantic firework display takes place on both sides of the river and the procession passes the "Loreleyfelsen", a rock that towers over 120 meters, almost 400 feet, above the waterline.
The riverside panorama when traveling down the Rhine River is spectacular and inspiring at any time of year, but the massive light show of historic buildings and monuments, together with an illuminated flotilla of ships, makes viewing from a boat even more impressive.
Tens of thousands of tourists and locals line the banks, and fill the villages, alongside the river, enjoying not only the party atmosphere and live music but also a free view.
Lights from the illuminated, garlanded and crowded ships are mirrored in the water as they sail by the floodlit towns, churches, castles, palaces, and centuries of living history. A fascinating scene, and atmosphere, that intensifies as darkness falls.
The heavens seem ablaze with the sight and sound of fireworks, a multicolored glow highlights surroundings, from castles and historic ruins to steeply sloping vineyards.
Together with the glimmering water of the Rhine River, its fleet of illuminated ships silhouetted against a night sky, and the historic riverside and hillside buildings bathed in lights, the evenings are an unforgettable and magical experience.
A summer and autumn in the beautiful and historic Rhine Valley, with "Rhein in Flammen".
Francine A. McKenna
It began in the 1930's but war and indifference brought it to an end, then a festival held in the mid eighties, with the first of five displays held in May, was a success.
Centered around a springtime Bonn, Germany's former
capital
in North Rhine-Westphalia, Die Nacht der Bengalfeuer, "Nights of Bengal
Fire", is an interplay of music, fire, water and light. Traveling from Bonn to Linz, 60 illuminated ships sail under a sky filled by multicolored fireworks, past castles, palaces and mountains bathed in light.
For one night in July and August and two in September, each with a different theme, "Rhine in Flames" continues along the river.
July's theme is "The Night of Fire Magic", Die Nacht Des Feuerzaubers, and floodlit boats travel alongside the picturesque and ancient towns of Trechtingshausen, Bingen, Rüdesheim, and Assmannshausen, on the Upper Middle Rhine Valley.
Often known as the Rhine Gorge it is not far from Frankfurt, and an area of Germany settled in, or conquered by, the Celts and later Romans. Among many others.
For centuries this has been one of the country's major wine regions, and with its stunning beauty, fairy tale castles, terraced vineyards, history and culture, is one of Germany's UNESCO Heritage Sites.
As the night draws in at around 10 o'clock, and accompanied by the echoes of firecrackers, a first firework display begins below Trechtingshausen "Reichenstein Castle". An ancient and extraordinary background to a dazzling cascade of color, light and stars.
August is "The Procession to Koblenz", Strecke Spay-Koblenz,
the area where a festival first took place in 1766. With 70 ships, castles, mountains, and centuries of history illuminated and ablaze with light, its procession is perhaps the most eye-catching.
The first in September is Die Nacht der Tausend Feuer, "The Night of a Thousand Fires", which accompanied by music travels from St. Goar to Oberwesel featuring some of the most spectacular of the firework displays.
Then comes the season finale.
The third Saturday of September, between St. Goar and St. Goarshausen, is named after the legend of the beautiful water spirit "Lorelei", who bewitched the hearts of seamen and lured them to their deaths. It is "The Night of Lorelei", Die Nacht der Loreley.
Although the deaths were probably caused by ships sinking because of the strong current at that spot, and the rocks just below river's waterline.
A gigantic firework display takes place on both sides of the river and the procession passes the "Loreleyfelsen", a rock that towers over 120 meters, almost 400 feet, above the waterline.
The riverside panorama when traveling down the Rhine River is spectacular and inspiring at any time of year, but the massive light show of historic buildings and monuments, together with an illuminated flotilla of ships, makes viewing from a boat even more impressive.
Tens of thousands of tourists and locals line the banks, and fill the villages, alongside the river, enjoying not only the party atmosphere and live music but also a free view.
Lights from the illuminated, garlanded and crowded ships are mirrored in the water as they sail by the floodlit towns, churches, castles, palaces, and centuries of living history. A fascinating scene, and atmosphere, that intensifies as darkness falls.
The heavens seem ablaze with the sight and sound of fireworks, a multicolored glow highlights surroundings, from castles and historic ruins to steeply sloping vineyards.
Together with the glimmering water of the Rhine River, its fleet of illuminated ships silhouetted against a night sky, and the historic riverside and hillside buildings bathed in lights, the evenings are an unforgettable and magical experience.
A summer and autumn in the beautiful and historic Rhine Valley, with "Rhein in Flammen".
Francine A. McKenna
Photos: May Rhein in Flammen with Schloss Drachenburg bathed by
red Bengal lights, photographer and copyright Der Rheinländer via
fotocommunity.de, - Burg Katz on the Rhine by King (Felix Koenig)
courtesy Wikipedia.de - Ingelheimer Market via ingelheimer-marktplatz.de
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