Drachenfels
The castle ruins on Drachenfels, one of the Seven Mountains along the Rhine, reached by Germany's oldest cog railway for views over the Rhine Valley.
Drachenfels is the most famous of the Seven Mountains across the river from Bonn. At 321 metres above sea level, its summit holds the ruins of a 12th-century castle, where the dragon-slaying hero Siegfried is said to have killed a dragon. From the town of Königswinter below, you can ride Germany's oldest cog railway, opened in 1883, to the top (round trip about €15). Halfway up stands Schloss Drachenburg, a fairy-tale Neo-Gothic castle. The summit terrace offers views over the Rhine Valley and Bonn. You can also walk up in about 45 minutes. From Cologne, the train to Königswinter takes about 45 minutes.
Opening hours
Cog railway about 09:00-19:00 (shorter in winter)
Nearby sights
- Schloss Drachenburg
- Petersberg
- Heisterbach Abbey
- Godesburg
- Deutsches Museum Bonn
- Rheinaue Park
- Bundeskunsthalle
- Kunstmuseum Bonn