Bonn is a beautiful city located on the
Rhine and is the birthplace of Beethoven!
Let's take a look at some places to explore in Bonn.
1. Altstadt
Image by L. Cornesse
If you take a walk around the cobblestone streets of the old city you can explore little shops or go into a pub for a beer or two. In the spring the street blooms with beautiful cherry blossoms.
2. Beethoven Denkmal, Münsterplatz
Image by C. Venery
Beethoven is kind of a big deal here. There are three main squares that make up Bonn’s city centre. Münsterplatz is one of those squares. It contains a beautiful old church, a Beethoven monument and the historic post building.
3. Beethoven Haus
Image by C. Venery
The 18th century house Beethoven was born in is still standing and contains several of the composer's musical instruments and plaques with interesting facts about his life. The upstairs also contains a death mask of his face, which is both fascinating and creepy. 2020 will mark the 250th birthday of Beethoven and Bonn is already preparing. The museum will temporarily be closed at the beginning of March for reconstruction work and all around the city center buildings are being remodeled.
4. Popplesdorf Schloss
Image by C. Venery
Popplesdorf is one of my favorite neighborhoods in Bonn. The buildings are colorful and sophisticated. When you walk along Popplesdorf Allee you can see the palace at the end of the lane. The grounds are beautiful and you can explore local and exotic flora in the Botanic Gardens.
5. Universität Bonn
Image by C. Venery
The main university building is in the city center. The Hofgarten, a park behind the university, is a wonderful place to relax on a nice day.
6. The Rhine
Image by C. Venery
You can walk along the Rhine for miles. It’s populated by runners, cyclists, and people out for a stroll. Ducks, geese, and swans are often seen on the banks.
7. Rheinaue-Japanischer Garten
Image by C. Venery
This park has a lot of footpaths and little lakes. It’s located near the Post Tower and the Japanese Garden is a must-see.
8. Schloss Drachenburg
Image by C. Venery
If you like to hike, a short train ride to Konigswinter takes you to the trailhead for Drachenfels, which literally means "Dragon Rock". The legend is a warrior named Siegfried slayed the dragon Fafnir and bathed in his blood so that he would become indestructable. It's a beautiful area where you can see the Siebengebirge (Seven Mountains), a hill range surrounding Bonn.
9. Steigenberger Petersberg
Image by C. Venery
There are trails through the forest that lead to this grand hotel. In the past people used this system as a pilgrimage and along the trail there are religious shrines. There are four different paths, the one near Kongwinter has 12 stone crosses that were built after the 30 year war. The oldest one is from 1638. Up until 1889 these paths were the only way to get to the top of the mountain. At the top you get beautiful views of the Rhine and surrounding towns.
10. Museumsmeile
Image by L. Cornesse
If you’re a fan of art and culture, Bonn has a lot to offer. There are five great museums, all in close proximity to each other:
ForschungMuesum Koenig (Museum Koenig)
Haus Der Geschichte (House of History)
Kunstmueseum Bonn (Art Museum Bonn)
Bundeskunsthalle (Art and Exhibition Hall)
Deutches Museum Bonn (German Museum Bonn)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Claire currently lives in Bonn, Germany. She is a freelance English teacher. She holds B.A. from the University of Montana in English-Creative Writing and a minor in International Development Studies. Claire also runs an English book club and hosts weekly meetups her students to practice English in the Bonn area.
For inquiries please contact: c.venery@speakeasylanguageacademy.com
Facebook: @bonnenglishbookclub
Instagram: claire.venery