Information AboutRhine Gorge |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT RHINE GORGE | |
| canyons and gorges of germany | |
| world heritage sites in germany | |
| rhineland-palatinate | |
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The Rhine Gorge is a popular name for the '''Upper Middle Rhine Valley''', a 65 km section of the River Rhine between Koblenz and Bingen . It was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in June 2002 for a unique combination of geological, historical, cultural and industrial reasons. The region's rocks were laid down in the Devonian period and are known as Rhenish Facies . This is a fossil-bearing Sedimentary rock type consisting mainly of Slate . The rocks underwent considerable folding during the Carboniferous period. The gorge was carved out during a much more recent uplifting to leave the river contained within steep walls 200 m high, the most famous feature being the Lorelei . The gorge produces its own Microclimate and has acted as a corridor for species not otherwise found in the region. Its slopes have long been terraced for agriculture, in particular Viticulture which thrives on south-facing slopes. The river has been an important trade route into central Europe since prehistoric times and a string of small settlements has grown up along the banks. Constrained in size, many of these old towns retain a historic feel today. With increasing wealth, many castles appeared and the valley became a core region of the Holy Roman Empire . It was at the centre of the Thirty Years' War , which left many of the castles in ruins, a particular attraction for today's cruise ships which follow the river. At one time forming a border of France , in the 19th Century the valley became part of Prussia and its landscape became the quintessential image of Germany . This part of the Rhine features strongly in Folklore , such as a legendary castle on the Rhine being the setting for the opera Gotterdammerung . The annual Rhine in Flames festivals include spectacular firework displays at Sankt Goar in September and Koblenz in August, the best view being from one of a convoy of boats. TOWNS ALONG THE GORGE
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