Koblenz

Koblenz is one of the oldest towns I have visited ... once a Roman settlement, it celebrated 2000 years of existence a few years back. But much of its Roman history has disappeared, and much of its tourist attractions are comparatively modern in nature.



Koblenz sits on a very strategic position: two major rivers - the Rhine and the Mossel - meet here, and the major attraction of Koblenz is Fort Ehrenbreitstein, built in the 1800's and is one of the largest defence instalments of its time. Apart from its strategic location (on a hill, overlooking the rivers, facing France/Luxembourg), it has some very interesting design facets, including false walls and multiple fail safes. However, despite two world wars, the theory has not been tested - even though the Nazi's had a massive base here. While the fort is no longer used, there are still German bases around Koblenz.


Fort Ehrenbreitstein was the location of the Virtual Goods conference dinner, and it was certainly the most impressive conference dinner location I have been to.


On the other side of the Rhine is Fort Konstantin, also from the 1800s but very much in ruins, but provides a n impressive view of the town. It is a much smaller complex, but a lot easier to get to, and only 15 minutes walk from the main train station.



The remains of the old town - mostly dating back to the mid 1500s - is still impressive. Like many older town centres, it features churches, cobbled stone streets, and lots of cafès. The most amusing attraction is the statue of a local boy outside the town hall, which periodically spits water at unsuspecting visitors.


But now, Koblenz is best known for Deutsches Eck - the symbol for united Germany. Initially, it was meant to represent German power, with the statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I charging towards France. But the statue was largely destroyed in WW 2, and then after reunification, it was rebuilt, and turned towards Germany.