An increasingly popular destination and a natural environment worth protecting

In the 19th century the number of people visiting Bonn increased rapidly as a result of the increasing mobility thanks to the trains and steamers. One of the most popular regions was the Rhine from Bonn to Bingen. Romantics went into raptures about the delightful landscape and the sites of the Drachenfels or Rolandsbogen that are steeped in legend. The Siebengebirge (Seven Mountains) with its vineyard slopes and densely wooded hills became a motif for painters and poets. Parts of this picturesque landscape, which has a geological history dating back some 400 million years, were already put under conservation some time ago as people had recognised its unique recreational value.