Rhens brings together a specific chapter in the history of royal elections, a short historical town walk and a route up to the Rhine plateau. The town lies on the Rhine between Boppard and Koblenz, in the UNESCO World Heritage Upper Middle Rhine Valley. When planning your visit, it is worth distinguishing between three highlights: the King’s Chair and the town’s history, the Old Town and its guided tours, and the Wolfsdelle landscape route.
The King’s Chair: the history of elections and the structure
From 1273, the electors held preliminary discussions on the election of German kings at the King’s Chair in Rhens; in 1346, Charles IV was elected king there. The King’s Chair is an octagonal stone structure built on an enlarged throne-shaped plan. In 1929, the structure was moved from the Nussbaumgarten outside Rhens to its current location on the Rhine heights. This allows the site’s medieval significance and the structure’s later history to be considered as two distinct aspects from different periods. A dedicated guided tour of the King’s Chair focuses on this historic site.
Old Town, town walls and guided tours
The historical town walk through Rhens is 1.6 km long and leads through the historic town center and along the town walls. Themed guided tours are also offered to explore the Old Town, the town’s history or the cemetery in more detail. Other town tours focus on the architecture of this Rhenish half-timbered town, as well as winegrowing, wine culture and the UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Middle Rhine Valley. A guided tour of the town walls covers towers, gates, the moat and the dungeon. The tours differ in focus: the walk follows a described route, while the guided tours explore specific topics and places in greater depth.
Weekly market and town life
The Rhens weekly market is located by the historic town wall and offers views of St. Theresia and St. Dionysius churches. It invites visitors to stroll, shop and linger. A visit to the market thus adds another perspective on Rhens to its historical attractions. Market details may change; check the latest information if you want to plan your visit around it.
From the town walk to the Rhine plateau
The Wolfsdelle dream trail starts at the Old Town Hall in Rhens, passes through the Viehtor gate in the medieval town wall and climbs to the Rhine plateau. The route offers panoramic views across the Rhine from Marksburg Castle to Ehrenbreitstein Fortress. It also passes through open orchards and reaches the Kriesenkopf heights. Unlike the 1.6 km town walk through the historic center and along the walls, Wolfsdelle offers a different focus with its ascent and Rhine panorama. Visitors can choose between a short urban circuit and a route featuring varied landscapes and elevation.
Plan your stay around your interests
This lets you plan your stay around either the town’s history or the landscape, without combining the two routes into a single itinerary.
Discover more destinations: Koblenz, Kell, Niederfell, Löf, Dieblich, Winningen, Hatzenport, Monreal
For the broader travel overview: Mayen-Koblenz.
