The Rhine in Flames, or 'Rhein im Flammen', is a spectacular annual festival of 'Fire, Water, Light and Culture', which is staged along a stretch of the Rhein River during the summer and early autumn.
Although its origins go back to the 1930's its past has been interrupted
by war and indifference, however it was successfully revived in the mid eighties and now begins in Bonn, the former capital of Germany, in May, with an interplay of music fire, water and light called Die Nacht der Bengalfeuer, 'Nights of Bengal Fire'. Continuing in different locations along the river, it takes place on one night in July and August with two individual performances in September, each of the five displays celebrating an individual theme.
August is 'The Procession to Koblenz', Strecke Spay–Koblenz, the original display and probably the most spectacular which dates from 1766, the first in September Die Nacht der Tausend Feuer, 'The Night of a Thousand Fires'.
The finale of the season takes place on the third Saturday of September, between St. Goar and St. Goarshausen, 'The Night of Lorelei' Die Nacht der Loreley, named after the legend of the beautiful siren 'Lore Lay', who lured seamen to their deaths.
The theme for July is 'The Night of Fire Magic', Die Nacht Des Feuerzaubers, and illuminated boats travel alongside the picturesque and ancient towns of Trechtingshausen, Bingen, Rueddesheim, and Assmannshausen, on the upper middle Rhein valley, not far from Frankfurt and an area of Germany that was settled in, or conquered by, amongst others originally the Celts and later the Romans.
For centuries this has been one of the country's major wine districts, a place of stunning beauty, fairytale castles and terraced vineyards,
steeped in history and culture and, not surprisingly, is a UNESCO Heritage region. Regardless of the time of year the riverside panorama when travelling down the River Rhine is both spectacular and inspiring, but the massive light show of historic buildings and monuments, together with an illuminated flotilla of ships, makes viewing it from a boat even more impressive.
Tens of thousands of tourists and locals line the banks of the Rhine, to enjoy not only the party atmosphere and live music but also a free viewing of the spectacle. Despite it being a summer evening the lights from the fifty illuminated, garlanded and crowded ships are mirrored in the water as they sail by the floodlit towns, their churches, castles, palaces and centuries of living history ablaze with lights. A fascinating experience that intensified as darkness begins to fall.
As the night draws in at around 10 o'clock, and accompanied by the echoing of firecrackers, a first firework display begins below Trechtingshausen's Reichenstein Castle, an ancient and extraordinary background to a dazzling cascade of colour, light and stars.
For the next hour this is followed one after another by a further six multicoloured firework displays that light up the entire sky, ending with a finale in Bingen, and all of the displays easily seen and enjoyed from a vantage point on one of the many boats.
The heavens seem to be ablaze with the sight and sound of fireworks, the glow from which highlights the surroundings, from castles to majestic
ruins. Together with the glimmering water of the Rhein, its fleet of illuminated ships silhouetted against the night sky, and the historic riverside and hillside buildings bathed in lights, the entire evening is an unforgettable and magical experience. Die Nacht Des Feuerzaubers, definitely 'A Night of Fire Magic', and just one of five during a summer and autumn in the beautiful and historic Rhine Valley, with Rhein in Flammen.
Rhein in Flammen Festival photographs by courtesy Wikipedia.de photographers Holger Weinandt and Manfred Heyde
DK Eyewitness Travel Guides are 'The' guide for every destination, and whenever I think about visiting anywhere in Germany the version that covers the country is my first step. Visual, colourful and concise it is a beautiful book just for browsing, even when there are no plans to visit. | Bavaria and along the River Rhine, a breathtaking and detailed bird's eye view of two of Germany's most scenic and historic regions, with a detailed commentary and a soundtrack of classical masterpieces by Beethoven, Wagner and Strauss, as well as traditional vocal and instrumental folk music |
