Rhine-Hunsrueck

The county of Rhine-Hunsrueck

The county of Rhine-Hunsrueck came into its present form in the year 1969 in the course of the district reforms. Antecedents were basically the former counties of Simmern and St.Goar, which already existed since the year 1816, when after the French control came to an end, the kingdom of Prussia implemented a local government reorganisation. Today around 102,000 people live in the six associations of municipalities and in the municipality of Boppard which is not associated with a county. Simmern is the county seat.

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Natural and cultural landscape

The county zone comprises of widespread parts of the plateaus of Hunsrueck and the adjoining southern quartzite ridges like the Soonwald, as a part of the Rhenish Slate Mountains, which likewise builds the eastern border of the county, in the area of the middle Rhine valley. The over impression by the power of nature, but most of all by humans, has created the current picture of the landscape. A higher proportion of forest area with a traditionally significant forestry, which makes intensive use of the grassland and the acres and the viniculture at the Rhine alongwith the old cities and the neat villages along the Rhine build the unique cultural landscape.

History that can be experienced

The settlement in the region started already in the New Stone Age, which a lot of the findings hint at. Later on the Celts characterised the settlement history for many centuries, before in the last century before Christ, the left Rhine area of the Roman Empire was incorporated. The long Roman dominance ended only with the migration period. In the middle ages, various houses of nobles and spirituality fought for dominance in the region. The whole region had to suffer especially from effects of the 30-year war and fatal epidemics. Eventually the troops of Louis XIV of France caused the destruction of many cities and castles on the Hunsrueck and along the Rhine in the war of succession of Pfalz. The remains of all these epochs can be appreciated, partly-on site and partly in museums. History is omnipresent and can be experienced. Not to forget, the director from Hunrueck, Edgar Reitz ensured that with his triology “Heimat” (“Homeland”), he captured the 20th century in this region on film.

Visitors from all over the world

The view over the rocks of the Loreley is one of the most famous landscape motifs in the whole of Germany and worth a trip for many people from all over the world. The UNESCO World heritage site of Middle Rhine Valley with its castles, vineyards and romantic cities, it charms people even today, in spite of its characteristic as a significant arterial road. The forests or the fields of Hunrueck are the right choice for those who rather love the peace and relaxation or sporting activities in the fresh air. A well laid out network of cycling or hiking trails connects all the places worth seeing and allows one to experience the landscapes intensively. With the Airport Frankfurt –Hahn, visitors from all over Europe gain the advantage of the fastest routes in our region.