Lahnstein () is a ''verband''-free town of Rhein-Lahn-Kreis in

Rhineland-Palatinate Rhineland-Palatinate ( , ; ; ; ) is a western state of Germany. It covers and has about 4.05 million residents. It is the ninth largest and sixth most populous of the sixteen states. Mainz is the capital and largest city. Other cities are ...

, Germany. It is situated at the confluence of the Lahn with the

Rhine The Rhine ( ) is one of the List of rivers of Europe, major rivers in Europe. The river begins in the Swiss canton of Graubünden in the southeastern Swiss Alps. It forms part of the Swiss-Liechtenstein border, then part of the Austria–Swit ...

, approximately south of

Koblenz Koblenz ( , , ; Moselle Franconian language, Moselle Franconian: ''Kowelenz'') is a German city on the banks of the Rhine (Middle Rhine) and the Moselle, a multinational tributary. Koblenz was established as a Roman Empire, Roman military p ...

. Lahnstein was created in 1969 by the merger of the previously independent towns of Oberlahnstein (or Upper Lahnstein) on the south side of the Lahn (above the river mouth) and Niederlahnstein on the north side (below the river mouth). In 2020, it had a population of 18,030. Situated on the heights of the foothills of the Westerwald and the Taunus, Lahnstein is considered a fresh-air spa city with spa facilities and thermal baths. It is also the seat of a district court. In religious affairs, it is assigned to the

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

Diocese of Limburg and to the Evangelical Church in Hesse and Nassau. Because of its strategic importance on the Rhine, Lahnstein was heavily fortified. Many old gates and towers still demonstrate its importance in the Middle Ages. Lahneck Castle, situated high above Oberlahnstein, was built between 1240 and 1245 and served as a residence of the Archbishop-Electors of Mainz. Other sights in Lahnstein include Martinsburg Castle on the bank of the Rhine in Oberlahnstein, the Allerheiligenbergkapelle, St. John's Abbey (''Johanneskloster''), and the Rheinsteig hiking trail.

Geography

Transport

* Rail Lahnstein is located on the right side of the Rhine line and the Lahntal railway. Lahnstein has three railway stations, Oberlahnstein, (Environmental Train Station) Niederlahnstein and Friedrichssegen. * Road Lahnstein is connected on the right side of the Rhine with the Federal Roads 42 and 260. * Bridges The Lahn Lahn Valley can be crossed by the Lahn bridge (B 42), Rudi Geil Bridge between Ober- and Niederahnstein, the Lahn bridge Friedrichssegen and two railway bridges. * Waterways Rhineships dock on in Oberlahnstein and Niederlahnstein

Climate

The annual rainfall is 673 mm. The rainfall is in the middle third of the recorded values in Germany. The driest month is February, the wettest June. In June fall 2.1 times more rainfall than in February. The rainfall varies moderately.

History

Early history

Based on archeological evidence, settlement in Lahnstein dates to the Late Stone Age (4000 to 1800 BC), continuing through the

Bronze Age The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...

and

Iron Age The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...

. Around c. 369–370 AD, the Romans built a ''burgus'' (or watch tower) at the mouth of the Lahn on the site of present-day Niederlahnstein. It served the Rhine border fortifications and acted as a sentry for the fortress at

(). It was this tower made of stone, which was called the "fortified house on the Lahn" () in the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

, that gave the town its name. Traces of the Roman ''

Limes Germanicus The (Latin for ''Germanic frontier''), or 'Germanic Limes', is the name given in modern times to a line of frontier () fortifications that bounded the ancient Roman provinces of Germania Inferior, Germania Superior and Raetia, dividing the Roman ...

'', the border fortifications built to safeguard the Empire from the

Germanic tribes The Germanic peoples were tribal groups who lived in Northern Europe in Classical antiquity and the Early Middle Ages. In modern scholarship, they typically include not only the Roman-era ''Germani'' who lived in both ''Germania'' and parts ...

, still exist today about from the town in the Oberlahnstein city forest.

Medieval history

In the

Carolingian Empire The Carolingian Empire (800–887) was a Franks, Frankish-dominated empire in Western and Central Europe during the Early Middle Ages. It was ruled by the Carolingian dynasty, which had ruled as List of Frankish kings, kings of the Franks since ...

, the Lahn formed the border between two provinces (or '' gaus''). Niederlahnstein belonged to the Engersgau, while Oberlahnstein was part of the

Rheingau The Rheingau (; ) is a region on the northern side of the Rhine between the German towns of Wiesbaden and Lorch, Hesse, Lorch near Frankfurt, reaching from the Western Taunus to the Rhine. It is situated in the German state of Hesse and is part ...

. Around 900 AD, the Frankish Salhof of Oberlahnstein came into the possession of the Archbishopric of Mainz. Under Archbishop Siegfried III of Eppstein, Mainz acquired the rest of town of Oberlahnstein in 1220. The documents also mention a nearby silver mine at a Diefendal Mountain. Siegfried had Lahneck Castle built in 1226 to protect these territories, which were Mainz's northernmost exclave (in religious matters, Oberlahnstein was under the

Archbishopric of Trier The Diocese of Trier (), in English historically also known as ''Treves'' () from French ''Trèves'', is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic church in Germany.customs castle on the Rhine in Oberlahnstein. In 1324

Holy Roman Emperor The Holy Roman Emperor, originally and officially the Emperor of the Romans (disambiguation), Emperor of the Romans (; ) during the Middle Ages, and also known as the Roman-German Emperor since the early modern period (; ), was the ruler and h ...

Louis the Bavarian Louis IV (; 1 April 1282 – 11 October 1347), called the Bavarian (, ), was King of the Romans from 1314, King of Italy from 1327, and Holy Roman Emperor from 1328 until his death in 1347. Louis' election as king of Germany in 1314 was cont ...

gave Oberlahnstein town rights. The construction of the town fortifications dates to this time. In 1018, the Castle "Lohenstein/Logenstein/Lainstein" (the former Roman burgus) at Niederlahnstein came into the possession of the Archbishopric of Trier. Niederlahnstein received town rights in 1322. In 1348, the Archbishopric of Trier built a customs tower there on the Lahn. On 4 June 1400, King Wenceslaus of Germany was called by the four Rhenish Prince-electors to appear before them in Oberlahnstein to answer charges of failing to maintain the public peace. Together with his overlord the Prince-Elector of Mainz, the Burggraf of Lahneck Castle, Friedrich of Nuremberg, hosted many of many delegates sent by the cities at the castle. When Wenceslaus failed to appear, the electors declared him deposed in August 1400 on account of drunkenness and incompetence. In Rhens, the following day, Rupert, Count Palatine of the Rhine, was elected the new "

King of the Romans King of the Romans (; ) was the title used by the king of East Francia following his election by the princes from the reign of Henry II (1002–1024) onward. The title originally referred to any German king between his election and coronatio ...

Modern era

Between 1632 and 1646, during the

Thirty Years War The Thirty Years' War, fought primarily in Central Europe between 1618 and 1648, was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history. An estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died from battle, famine, or disease, whil ...

, both towns experienced multiple occupations by Swedish, Imperial, Hessian and French troops. In 1688, Lahneck Castle was destroyed and burned by French troops. Between 1795 and 1800, during the

French Revolutionary Wars The French Revolutionary Wars () were a series of sweeping military conflicts resulting from the French Revolution that lasted from 1792 until 1802. They pitted French First Republic, France against Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain, Habsb ...

, both towns again experienced multiple occupations by foreign troops (Austrians, Prussians, French and Russians). In the

German mediatisation German mediatisation (; ) was the major redistribution and reshaping of territorial holdings that took place between 1802 and 1814 in Germany by means of the subsumption and Secularization (church property), secularisation of a large number of ...

of 1803, Oberlahnstein came into the possession of Nassau-Usingen, while Niederlahnstein fell to Nassau-Weilburg. In 1806, the independent Nassau principalities were united in the Duchy of Nassau. In the mid-19th century, under Nassau rule, Oberlahnstein became an important railway junction. In 1858, Nassau's Lahntal railway was built from Oberlahnstein to Bad Ems (and eventually

Wetzlar Wetzlar () is a city in the state of Hesse, Germany. It is the twelfth largest city in Hesse with currently 55,371 inhabitants at the beginning of 2019 (including second homes). As an important cultural, industrial and commercial center, the un ...

). In 1860, a shipping port on the Rhine was built at Oberlahnstein. In 1862, the East Rhine railway from

Wiesbaden Wiesbaden (; ) is the capital of the German state of Hesse, and the second-largest Hessian city after Frankfurt am Main. With around 283,000 inhabitants, it is List of cities in Germany by population, Germany's 24th-largest city. Wiesbaden form ...

to Oberlahnstein was built. In 1864, the East Rhine Railway of Nassau was connected to the Prussian State Railway at Koblenz through construction of a railway bridge over the Lahn. In 1866, after the Austro-Prussian War, the Duchy of Nassau was annexed by the

Kingdom of Prussia The Kingdom of Prussia (, ) was a German state that existed from 1701 to 1918.Marriott, J. A. R., and Charles Grant Robertson. ''The Evolution of Prussia, the Making of an Empire''. Rev. ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1946. It played a signif ...

. The Nassau state railway was taken over by Prussia, and Oberlahnstein's role as a railway junction was largely transferred to the stations of Niederlahnstein and Koblenz Hauptbahnhof. In 1873, the first permanent traffic bridge over the Lahn between Oberlahnstein and Niederlahnstein was built. In 1875, the first Protestant church was opened in Oberlahnstein. In 1879 came the construction of the Hohenrhein Railway Bridge ('' Kanonenbahn'') and the new station in Niederlahnstein. In 1885 of the town rights of Niederlahnstein (first awarded 1332) were renewed. After

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, the towns were occupied by French troops from 1918 to 1929. In 1926/27, the New Lahn Bridge was built. In 1940, came the first aerial attacks on the town of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. The two Lahnsteins were 35% destroyed by bombing by the end of the war. From 1945 to 1956, the towns were occupied by American and later French troops. On 7 June 1969, Oberlahnstein and Niederlahnstein were united into the City of Lahnstein. Ever since the unification in 1969, Lahnstein has developed into a regional place for culture, tourism and commerce along the Middle Rhine. The town has invested in preserving its historic architecture while promoting cultural events such as the annual Burgspiele Lahnstein, drawing visitors from across Germany. In recent years, urban revitalization efforts have focused on expanding recreational areas, encouraging sustainable tourism, and improving riverfront access, making Lahnstein as both a scenic gateway and a livable community.

History of wine

In 1258, a vineyard called ''Koppelstein'' was owned by the Counts of Katzenelnbogen. It is a vast field of land, containing a large body of water making the area perfect for wine production. Lahnmundung

Historic places and visitor attractions

Niederlahnstein

* St. John's Church and Abbey – A small church had already existed at the mouth of Lahn since the 9th century. It was the mid-10th century by a slightly larger Ottonian one-nave church. The present church, a flat-roofed Romanesque five-bay pillar

basilica In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica (Greek Basiliké) was a large public building with multiple functions that was typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek Eas ...

was built ca. 1130. It is regarded as the oldest galleried church on the Rhine and was the model for the churches of the so-called Lahn Group, which included the parish churches of Moselweiß and Güls (both villages are now boroughs of Koblenz), Ems, Dietkirchen, and

Morsbach Morsbach is a municipality in Oberbergischer Kreis, a district in North Rhine-Westphalia near the border of Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany. In 2015, Morsbach's population was 10,600. The central village, also named Morsbach, has a population of ...

in the Siegerland. :By the end of the 18th century, the church had become the parish church of the town of Niederlahnstein, and still belongs to the parish. About being destroyed several times, it remained a ruin after its destruction during the turmoil of the French Revolution until 1856. It was rebuilt between 1856 and 1866. In the meantime, Niederlahnstein’s second church, St. Barbara, became the parish church and remains so today. A centuries old cemetery surrounds the church. :St. John’s Abbey (''Johanniskloster'') is overseen by the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary ( Arnstein Fathers). Colocated with the Abbey is the private St. John's Gymnasium, a state-grant funded high school. * Parish Church of St. Barbara – The parish of Saint Barbara dates to as early in 1358. It was later rebuilt in 1712 and 1889. The current Neo-Gothic structure near the Lahnbrücke, designed by the architect Martin Weber of

Frankfurt Frankfurt am Main () is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Hesse. Its 773,068 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the List of cities in Germany by population, fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located in the forela ...

, was built between 1937 and 1939. Wirtshaus an der Lahn in Lahnstein

* Wirtshaus an der Lahn (Tavern on the Lahn) – This inn on the banks of the Lahn, built in 1697, is allegedly the infamous setting of the legendary ''Wirtinnenverse'' (literally "landlady verses", which are bawdy poems similar to

limerick Limerick ( ; ) is a city in western Ireland, in County Limerick. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is in the Mid-West Region, Ireland, Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. W ...

s). There are actually numerous taverns along the Lahn with long histories of operation and many claim to be the "genuine" Wirtshaus an der Lahn from the song. The most likely is this one in Niederlahnstein, located on the Lahnstraße directly above the bridge. :The estate, rather large for its time, was based on a customs tower of the Archbishopric of Trier from 1348, called the "Land Stronghold" (''Landfeste''). On the shore in front of the customs tower was a jetty serving shipping along the Lahn. It was popularly known as the "port", although there was never a proper harbor there. The road to Nassau, which followed the banks of the Lahn, also passed by the location. :In this visible location, the innkeeper Balthasar Kalkofen built his original inn, popular with boatmen and wagon drivers, in 1697. This part of the building, then situated parallel to the Lahn, still exists. The ground floor of the three-floor building is constructed of masonry with massive quarried stone, while the upper stories are of half-timbered construction (''Fachwerkbau''). The round half-timbered customs tower with a curved roof and the distinctive roof lantern dates from 1741. After the death of Balthasar Kalkofen, his widow, Catherine, operated the inn alone until 1727. She could have been the "woman hostess" from the song. :A historically interesting episode occurred here on 18 July 1774.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Johann Wolfgang (von) Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German polymath who is widely regarded as the most influential writer in the German language. His work has had a wide-ranging influence on Western literature, literary, Polit ...

, accompanied by

Johann Kaspar Lavater Johann Kaspar (or Caspar) Lavater (; 15 November 1741 – 2 January 1801) was a Switzerland, Swiss poet, writer, philosopher, physiognomist and theologian. Early life Lavater was born in Zürich, and was educated at the ''Gymnasium (school), Gy ...

and Johann Bernhard Basedow, came to Lahnstein while on a boat trip on the Lahn and Rhine Rivers. He had lunch at the inn on the Lahn, after which, inspired by the sight of Lahneck Castle, he wrote the poem ''Geistesgruß''. The Wirtshaus an der Lahn is still a restaurant today.

Friedrichssegen

This former mining village is situated about east of Lahnstein proper near the town of Frücht. In 2000, the Friedrichssegen Mine Workers Association opened a mining museum. The exhibits include historic photos of the mine (1905–1910) and over 40 displays of genuine Friedrichssegen minerals. The mine produced minerals, primarily lead, with zinc, silver and copper all as co-products. The mine ceased operations in 1913.

Politics

Town council

Leadership

The mayor is the head of the institution "Stadtverwaltung Lahnstein". He implements the decisions of the council and is transferred to the state affairs (contract matters) responsible. He is manager and supervisor of the municipal officials.Stadt Lahnstein: Stadtverwaltung
Lahnstein.de. Retrieved on 17 July 2013. The current Lord Mayor of Lahnstein is Lennart Siefert, elected in September 2021. He succeeded Peter Labonte (CDU).

Parties

The distribution of seats in the town council () is as follows:

Twin towns

Kettering Kettering is a market town, market and industrial town, industrial town in the North Northamptonshire district of Northamptonshire, England, west of Cambridge, England, Cambridge, southwest of Peterborough, southeast of Leicester and north- ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

, since 1956 * Vence,

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, since 1967 * Ouahigouya,

Burkina Faso Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa, bordered by Mali to the northwest, Niger to the northeast, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Ivory Coast to the southwest. It covers an area of 274,223 km2 (105,87 ...

, since 1978 * Hermsdorf,

Thuringia Thuringia (; officially the Free State of Thuringia, ) is one of Germany, Germany's 16 States of Germany, states. With 2.1 million people, it is 12th-largest by population, and with 16,171 square kilometers, it is 11th-largest in area. Er ...

, Germany, since December 1990 * Montesilvano,

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, since May 2016

Sport and leisure

Lahnstein offers a variety of climbing and hiking trails * The Rheinsteig The new Rhine mountain trail from Bonn to Wiesbaden in traverses the district of Lahnstein on the health resort and the Ruppertsklamm. Oberlahnstein is on the trail of the Lahneck Castele connected to the Rheinsteig. * The Rheinhöhenweg This trail leads over Lahneck Castle and the Lahn bridge between Ober- and Niederlahnstein. * The Lahnhöhenweg This trail starts in Oberlahnstein and ends at the Lahneck Castle * The Lahn-Camino The Jakobsweg from Wetzlar to Oberlahnstein ends at the hospital chapel, from where it continues towards Kaub on the Rhine-Camino

People

* Daniel Bahr (born 1976), politician (FDP) * Timo Scheider (born 1978), racing driver

References

External links

* * Herbert Roth
Chronology of the city of Lahnstein
. Retrieved on 2009-03-03. {{Authority control Towns in Rhineland-Palatinate Populated places on the Rhine Rhein-Lahn-Kreis Middle Rhine