Tourism flourishes

In the 19th century Bonn’s economy was still based on skilled trades and agriculture and to a lesser extent on trade despite the major political transitions.

In addition tourism established itself as a new branch of industry.The Rhine and its landscape exuded a new sense of attractiveness based on the new understanding of nature of the age of Romanticism and as a national symbol. 

Bonn could not distinguish itself as an industrial site in this period. The settlements were concentrated in the area on the right hand side of the Rhine and the inner-city industry thus solely consisted of an earthenware factory. Bonn was thus spared the consequences of early industrialisation and as a result an increasing number of rich pensioners, men of independent means and industrialists moved to the city who valued the peaceful atmosphere of the university city and the beauty of the surrounding landscape.