Petersberg

The Petersberg rises 331 metres above the Rhine valley near Königswinter, opposite Bonn. It is the highest point in the Siebengebirge range and overlooks both cities from its broad summit. The mountain’s slopes are covered with vineyards and mixed woodland, giving way to open meadows near the top. A narrow road winds up the eastern flank, ending at the hotel entrance. Below, the Rhine flows past Königswinter’s quays and Bonn’s riverside promenades. The peak commands wide views across the river plain and towards the distant Eifel hills. The mountain has been settled since 3500 BC, when early farmers built simple dwellings on its slopes. A ring wall from about 1000 BC shows later Bronze Age defences. In 1189 Cistercian monks took over an Augustinian hermitage here, founding Heisterbach Abbey in the valley below. The name changed in 1764 when a chapel to Saint Peter was built at the summit. In the 19th century the Nelles brothers opened the Hotel Petersberg and built a rack railway from Königswinter. After 1945 the hotel became a government guest house, hosting many heads of state. Visitors reach the summit by road or by the old Petersbergbahn, now used for special trips. The hotel stands at the top with terraces facing the Rhine. Inside, historic rooms recall the days when kings and chancellors stayed there. The surrounding parkland offers short walks along shaded paths and open lawns. From the terraces the river appears as a broad silver ribbon between the two cities. On clear days the view stretches from the Drachenfels to the industrial skyline of Cologne.