Beilstein Introductory Walk
By Rick Steves
Upstream from Cochem, along the Mosel River, is one of Germany's quaintest towns: Beilstein (BILE-shtine), a tranquil Cinderella-land with narrow lanes, an ancient wine cellar, territorial swans, and a ruined castle. Explore the town by following this short walk.
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| If Rick stood on the banks of the Mosel in winter, he'd have more than just wet feet. |
Beilstein's riverfront: Stand where the village hits the river. In 1963, the big road and the Mosel locks were built, making the river so peaceful today. Before then, access was limited to a tiny one-way lane and the small ferry. The cables that tether the ferry once allowed the motorless craft to go back and forth powered only by the current and an angled rudder. Today it constantly shuttles people, bikes, and cars. The campground across the river is typical of German campgrounds — 80 percent of its customers set up their trailers and tents at Easter and use them as summer homes until October, when the regular floods chase them away for the winter. If you stood where you are now through the winter, you'd have cold water up to your crotch five times. Look inland. The Earl of Beilstein — who ruled from his castle above town — built the Altes Zollhaus in 1634 to levy tolls from river traffic. Today the castle is a ruin, the once mighty monastery (see the big church high on the left) is down to one monk, and the town's economy is based only on wine and tourists.
Beilstein's tranquility is due to Germany's WWI loss. This war cost Germany the region of Alsace (now part of France). Before WWI, the Koblenz-Trier train line — which connects Alsace to Germany — was the busiest in Germany. It tunnels through the grape-laden hill across the river in what was the longest train tunnel in Germany. The construction of a supplemental line destined to follow the riverbank (like the lines that crank up the volume on the Rhine) was stopped in 1914 and, since Alsace went to France in 1918, the plans were scuttled.
Follow Bachstrasse into town. You'll notice blue plaques on the left marking the high-water (Hochwasser) points of historic floods.
At the first corner, Furst-Metternich Strasse leads left to the monastery (to get there, climb stairs marked Klostertreppe). While its population is down to one Carmelite, Rome maintains an oversized-for-this-little-town church that runs a restaurant with a great view.
Bachstrasse ("Creek Street") continues straight through Beilstein, covering up the brook that once flowed through town providing a handy disposal service 24/7. Today Bachstrasse is lined by wine cellars. The only way for a small local vintner to make any decent money these days is to sell his wine directly to customers in inviting little places like these. Your first right leads to the…
Market Square: For centuries, neighboring farmers sold their goods on Marktplatz. The Zehnthaus ("tithe house") was the village IRS, where locals would pay one tenth (Zehnte) of their produce to their landlord (either the church or the earl). Pop into the Zehnthauskeller. Four-hundred years ago packed with peasants' offerings, today it's packed with vaulted medieval ambiance. It's fun at night for candlelit wine tasting, soup and cold cuts, and schmaltzy music (live Fri and Sat). The Bürgerhaus (above the fountain) had nothing to do with medieval fast food. First the village church, then the Bürger's (like a mayor) residence, today it's the place for a town party or wedding. Haus Lipmann (on the riverside, now a hotel and restaurant) dates from 1727. It was built by the earl's family as a residence after the French destroyed his castle. Haus Lipmann's main dining hall was once the knight's hall. The stepped lane leads uphill (past the Zehnthaus) to…
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| Beilstein's Jewish Cemetery is a resting place for past residents. Before Hitler's rampage, 25 percent of the town's inhabitants were Jewish. |
Beilstein's Castle: Beilstein once rivaled Cochem as the most powerful town on this part of the Mosel. Its castle (Burg Metternich) is a sorry ruin today, but those who hike up are rewarded with a postcard Mosel view and a chance to hike even higher to the top of its lone surviving tower (€2.50, April-Oct daily 9:00-18:30, closed Nov-March, view café/restaurant, 02673/936-39).
For more exercise and an even better view, continue up behind the castle and follow the road that leads uphill and around back into the village. A hundred meters above the castle (take the left fork), you'll find the ultimate "castle-riverbend-vineyards" photo stop. The derelict roadside vineyard is a sign of recent times — the younger generation is abandoning the family plots, opting out of all that hard winemaking work. A surprising sight — the most evocative Jewish cemetery this side of Prague (Judenfriedhof) — is 200 yards farther up the road.
For 700 years before 1942, Beilstein hosted a Jewish community. As was the case throughout Europe, wealthy Jews could buy citizenship and enjoy all the protections afforded its residents. These Schutzjuden, or protected Jews, were shielded from the often crude and brutal "justice" of the Middle Ages. In 1840, 25 percent of Beilstein's 300 inhabitants were Jewish. But no payment could shield this community from Hitler, and today there are no Jews in Beilstein. (A small Jewish community in Koblenz maintains this lovely cemetery.)
From here, the road curves downhill, where a gravel path at the next bend on the left leads back into town.
Updated for 2008. For lots more information, check out our best-selling Rick Steves' Guidebooks — or join us on one of our free-spirited tours in Germany.