Lorelei

The Lorelei (Loreley) near Sankt Goarshausen is the most famous rock on the Rhine River: a slate cliff about 130 meters high at the narrowest point of the Middle Rhine, inside the Upper Middle Rhine Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site. The legend of a siren combing her golden hair here, made famous by Heinrich Heine's poem, turned it into a symbol of German Romanticism. Today the plateau on top offers sweeping river views, a landscape park and a new exhibition hall.

Important: closures in fall 2026

After a rockfall on August 31, 2026, crews are clearing and securing the cliff. As of October 2026:

• Federal road B 42 along the river between St. Goarshausen and Kaub has been fully closed near the rock since September 28. Drivers reach the plateau via the hilltop villages (Kaub, Weisel, Bornich).
• Parts of the landscape park and the viewing platform at the tip of the rock are closed. The Mythoshalle exhibition hall and restrooms stay open.
• The staircase trail up from the riverbank is closed.
• Authorities expect the work to take roughly three to five months, depending on winter weather. Check the Loreley tourist office website before you go.

Why the Lorelei is famous

For centuries this was one of the most dangerous spots for Rhine boatmen. The river narrows to about 160 meters and was once up to 25 meters deep, with strong currents and reefs; some rocks were blasted away only in the 1930s, and traffic lights still regulate shipping on this stretch. The siren story itself is a literary invention: poet Clemens Brentano created the sorceress "Lore Lay" in 1801, and Heine's poem later made her feel like an ancient folk legend. The rock was said to produce a sevenfold echo.

Things to do on the Loreley plateau

• Culture and landscape park: opened in 2019, with a straight path from the parking lot to the tip of the rock, a winding "myth trail" and six viewpoints over the gorge. Entry is free and the paths are designed to be accessible.
• Mythoshalle with the Glass Rock: a new hall built where an old hotel once stood. Its roof is a glittering "rock" of more than 100 glass panes, and inside, light, sound and mist effects tell the geological story and the legends.
• Lorelei statue: a 2.2-meter sculpture by Berlin artist Valerie Otte, installed in 2023. Another well-known Lorelei figure sits at the end of the harbor wall in St. Goarshausen, best seen from a boat.
• Talking rocks: four sound installations tell stories in six languages.
• Tourist information center with a free exhibition, a film about the region and a souvenir shop.

Opening hours and tickets

The park is free and open-access. The tourist information center is open daily from March 1 to October 31, 2026 (10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends and holidays); winter information on the official site is contradictory, so call ahead from November. Parking on the plateau is paid. (As of October 2026.)

How to get to the Lorelei

The rock sits on the east bank of the Rhine between Koblenz and Mainz, roughly 35 km upstream from Koblenz and around 1.5 hours by car from Frankfurt, depending on the current detour.

• By train: regional trains on the east bank line stop at St. Goarshausen; from there the Loreley shuttle bus climbs to the plateau. Local trains and buses are covered by the Deutschlandticket.
• By ferry: from St. Goar on the west bank, a car ferry crosses to St. Goarshausen.
• By boat: Rhine cruise boats pass right below the rock, which is the best way to appreciate how tight the bend is.
• On foot: the Rheinsteig long-distance trail runs over the plateau between St. Goarshausen and Kaub.

Is the Lorelei worth visiting?

If you are exploring the Rhine Valley, yes: the view over the river bend and Katz Castle is one of the classic images of Germany, and the plateau combines well with a Rhine cruise, St. Goar with Rheinfels Castle and the wine town of Oberwesel. During the current closures, however, you will not get to the very tip of the rock, so a boat trip past the cliff may be the better way to experience it this fall.