The Middle Rhine Museum houses Rhenish art, focusing on paintings from the 19th and early 20th centuries, whilst the Ludwig Museum specialises in contemporary French art. Then, there is the Rhine Museum where exhibits about life on the Rhine are on show.Middle Rhine Museum
The Middle Rhine Museum has been housed in the Kauf-und-Danzhaus since 1965. Originally built for shopping and dancing, this historical house is now part of a picturesque ensemble in Koblenz's old town. In this charming setting the museum displays one of the foremost collections of Romantic Rhine paintings as well as exhibits dating from antiquity to the 20th century. The outstanding exhibition pieces include 12th to 16th century sculptures from the Middle Rhine and Moselle regions. The collection of 18th century paintings focuses on the works of Januarius Zick (1730-1797), the leading painter at the royal court in Trier. Also on show are works by Heinrich Foelix, Benedikt Beckenkamp and Gottfried-Bernhart Manskirsch. Closed on Mondays except on public holidays, guided tours available.
» www.touristik-koblenz.deLudwig Museum
Koblenz's Ludwig Museum is located at the Deutsches Eck where the Rhine and Moselle converge, within the Deutschherrenhaus, originally built by the Teutonic Order. The oldest parts of the building date back to the 13th century. Founded in 1992, the museum specialises in German and French contemporary art. The nucleus of the collection consists of donations and items on loan from Koblenz art collector, Dr. Peter Ludwig. An important part of the exhibition is the presentation of French art, primarily from 1945 to the present day. Also on display are works by Picasso, Jean Dubuffet, Jean-Pierre Raynaud and Jacques Monory. In addition, the collection features works by respected American artists such as Jasper Jones and Robert Rauschenberg, plus work by German talents including Karl-Otto Götz. Closed on Mondays, guided tours available.
» www.ludwigmuseum.orgRhine Museum
Established in 1912, this cultural history museum with a focus on shipping is located at the foot of Ehrenbreitstein Fortress. On 1,300m², the exhibition covers river traffic, ecology, hydrology, the romantic Rhine, tourism, and medieval commerce and history in the region between Cologne and Mainz. It also explores the history of fishing, the development of shipping on the Rhine from dug-out canoes to motorised boats, hydraulic engineering, flooding and ice. Closed on Mondays, guided tours on request.
» www.rhein-museum.deStolzenfels Castle
Stolzenfels Castle, the jewel of the romantic Rhine, is an outstanding example of neo-Gothic architecture. Built on the ruins of the previous fortification, it has retained many original features and remains an unspoilt monument to life and culture in the mid-19th century. The beautifully decorated rooms are resplendent with their neo-Gothic furnishings and exquisite artefacts from historical Stolzenfels. Collections of historical weaponry and drinking vessels are found in the banqueting hall, while the wall paintings in the chapel include some of the leading works of the height of the Romantic period in the Rhineland. Closed Mondays and in December. Guided tours only.
» www.rheinromantik.de