Rhine Gorge (Germany)

Rhine Gorge is the popular name for Upper Middle Rhine Valley, a 65-kilometre (40 mi) section of River Rhine between Bingen and Koblenz in Germany. In June 2002 it was added to UNESCO's World Heritage Sites list for the unique combination of historical, cultural, industrial and geological reasons.

The rocks in the region, known as Rhenish Facies, were laid down in the Devonian period. This sedimentary rock type is fossil-bearing and consists mainly of slate. During the Carboniferous period the rocks underwent significant folding. The gorge was carved during a more recent uplift to leave the Rhine contained within 200-meter high steep walls.

The gorge produces its special microclimate and has acted as the corridor for species not found in the region. The river has been a major trade route to central Europe since prehistoric times. A string of little settlements has grown up along the river banks. Constrained in size, a lot of these old towns today retain a historic feel. With increasing wealth, plenty of castles appeared and the valley became the Holy Roman Empire's core region. Rhine Gorge was at the center of the 30 Years' War, which left a lot of the castles in ruins, an attraction for today's cruise ships following the river. At one time forming the border of France, the valley became part of Prussia during the 19th Century and its landscape became Germany's quintessential image.

The list of port towns along the Rhine Gorge includes Koblenz, Lahnstein, Rhens, Braubach, Boppard, St Goarshausen (Sankt Goar / Loreley Rock), Oberwesel, Kaub, Bacharach, Lorch, Assmannshausen, Bingen, Rudesheim.