![Ruins of Landshut Castle, near Bernkastel-Kues, Germany](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Ruins_of_Landshut_Castle%2C_near_Bernkastel-Kues%2C_Germany.JPG)
Bernkastel-Kues () is a town on the
Middle Moselle
The Middle Moselle or Central Moselle (german: Mittelmosel) refers to the approximately 120-kilometre-long section of the river Moselle, in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany from the city of Trier to Zell. The subsequent section of t ...
in the
Bernkastel-Wittlich
Bernkastel-Wittlich (German: ''Landkreis Bernkastel-Wittlich'') is a district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts of Vulkaneifel, Cochem-Zell, Rhein-Hunsrück, Birkenfeld, Trier-Saarbur ...
district
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...
in
Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate ( , ; german: link=no, Rheinland-Pfalz ; lb, Rheinland-Pfalz ; pfl, Rhoilond-Palz) is a western state of Germany. It covers and has about 4.05 million residents. It is the ninth largest and sixth most populous of the ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
. It is a well-known
winegrowing
Viticulture (from the Latin word for ''vine'') or winegrowing (wine growing) is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, ran ...
centre. The town is a state-recognized health resort (''Erholungsort''), seat of the
''Verbandsgemeinde'' of Bernkastel-Kues and birthplace of one of the most famous German
polymath
A polymath ( el, πολυμαθής, , "having learned much"; la, homo universalis, "universal human") is an individual whose knowledge spans a substantial number of subjects, known to draw on complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific pro ...
s, the
mediaeval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
churchman and philosopher
Nikolaus von Kues (Cusanus).
Geography
Location
Bernkastel-Kues lies in the
Moselle
The Moselle ( , ; german: Mosel ; lb, Musel ) is a river that rises in the Vosges mountains and flows through north-eastern France and Luxembourg to western Germany. It is a bank (geography), left bank tributary of the Rhine, which it jo ...
valley, roughly from
Trier
Trier ( , ; lb, Tréier ), formerly known in English as Trèves ( ;) and Triers (see also names in other languages), is a city on the banks of the Moselle in Germany. It lies in a valley between low vine-covered hills of red sandstone in the ...
. The greatest elevation is the ''Olymp'' (415 m above
sea level
Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical datuma standardised g ...
), and the lowest point (107 m above sea level) lies on the Moselle's banks. The municipal area totals 23 657 101 m
2, of which 7 815 899 m
2 is used for
agriculture
Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...
, thereby making Bernkastel-Kues one of the Middle Moselle's biggest towns by land area.
Neighbouring municipalities
Clockwise from the north, these are
Graach,
Longkamp
Longkamp is an ''Ortsgemeinde'' – a municipality belonging to a ''Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Geography
Longkamp is surrounded with meadows and ...
,
Monzelfeld
Monzelfeld is an ''Ortsgemeinde'' – a municipality belonging to a ''Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Geography
Location
The municipality lies at ...
,
Veldenz
Veldenz is an ''Ortsgemeinde'' – a municipality belonging to a ''Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is the former main seat of the County of Veldenz, ...
,
Mülheim
Mülheim, officially Mülheim an der Ruhr () and also described as ''"City on the River"'', is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. It is located in the Ruhr Area between Duisburg, Essen, Oberhausen and Ratingen. It is home to many compan ...
,
Lieser,
Maring-Noviand
Maring-Noviand is an ''Ortsgemeinde'' – a municipality belonging to a ''Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Geography
Location
The municipality lies ...
,
Platten and
Zeltingen-Rachtig
Zeltingen-Rachtig is an ''Ortsgemeinde'' – a municipality belonging to a ''Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Geography
Location
The municipality l ...
.
Constituent communities
Bernkastel-Kues is subdivided into the four ''
Stadtteile'' of Andel, Bernkastel, Kues and Wehlen. The former two lie on the Moselle's right bank, while the latter two are on the left. All together, 7,794 people live in all four centres (3,696 men, 4,098 women), of whom 268 – or 3.44% – are foreigners.
Population structure
Climate
The town lies in a transitional zone between
temperate oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ( ...
and
continental climate
Continental climates often have a significant annual variation in temperature (warm summers and cold winters). They tend to occur in the middle latitudes (40 to 55 north), within large landmasses where prevailing winds blow overland bringing som ...
. The barrier formed by the
Eifel
The Eifel (; lb, Äifel, ) is a low mountain range in western Germany and eastern Belgium. It occupies parts of southwestern North Rhine-Westphalia, northwestern Rhineland-Palatinate and the southern area of the German-speaking Community of ...
shields Bernkastel-Kues from west winds, putting it in a
rain shadow
A rain shadow is an area of significantly reduced rainfall behind a mountainous region, on the side facing away from prevailing winds, known as its leeward side.
Evaporated moisture from water bodies (such as oceans and large lakes) is carrie ...
and sometimes subjecting it to a
föhn
A Foehn or Föhn (, , ), is a type of dry, relatively warm, downslope wind that occurs in the leeward, lee (downwind side) of a mountain range.
It is a rain shadow wind that results from the subsequent adiabatic warming of air that has dropped m ...
effect.
Yearly
precipitation
In meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravitational pull from clouds. The main forms of precipitation include drizzle, rain, sleet, snow, ice pellets, graupel and hail. ...
in Bernkastel-Kues amounts to , falling into the middle third of the precipitation chart for all Germany. At 41% of the
German Weather Service's weather stations lower figures are recorded. The driest month is February. The most rainfall comes in August. In that month, precipitation is 1.6 times what it is in February. Precipitation varies hardly at all, being evenly spread throughout the year. At only 22% of the weather stations are lower seasonal
swings recorded.
History
The earliest evidence of human habitation (3000 BC) was discovered by
archaeologists
Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...
in Kues. About AD 370,
Decimus Magnus Ausonius
Decimius Magnus Ausonius (; – c. 395) was a Roman poet and teacher of rhetoric from Burdigala in Aquitaine, modern Bordeaux, France. For a time he was tutor to the future emperor Gratian, who afterwards bestowed the consulship on him. ...
, the
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...
poet and teacher at the
Imperial
Imperial is that which relates to an empire, emperor, or imperialism.
Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to:
Places
United States
* Imperial, California
* Imperial, Missouri
* Imperial, Nebraska
* Imperial, Pennsylvania
* Imperial, Texa ...
court, wrote his poem ''Mosella''. Adalbero von Luxemburg (d. 1036 or 1037), Provost of the Trier Monastery of St. Paulin, became Lord of Bernkastel in the early 11th century.
In the first half of the 11th century, Bernkastel had its first documentary mention.
At the turn of the 8th century, a geographer described a place called ''Princastellum''. This is said to be evidence of a
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...
castellum
A ''castellum'' in Latin is usually:
* a small Roman fortlet or tower,C. Julius Caesar, Gallic War; 2,30 a diminutive of ('military camp'), often used as a watchtower or signal station like on Hadrian's Wall. It should be distinguished from a ...
in the 4th century near today's Landshut castle ruin. Pointing to this are, among other things, fittings and finds of ceramic and iron underneath the castle.
The 12th-century form of the name, ''Beronis castellum'', was a learned re-Latinization, which was related to Adalbero von Luxemburg. Work was begun on the third castle building under the lordship of Archbishop of Trier Heinrich II of Finstingen.
On 29 May 1291, King
Rudolph I of Germany
Rudolf I (1 May 1218 – 15 July 1291) was the first King of Germany from the House of Habsburg. The first of the count-kings of Germany, he reigned from 1273 until his death.
Rudolf's election marked the end of the Great Interregnum which h ...
granted ''Berrincastel'' town rights. The castle, Burg Landshut, which was built at that time, was given this name only in the 16th century. In 1332, the town rights were reaffirmed by Emperor
Louis the Bavarian's ''Sammelprivileg'' (a kind of omnibus decree that dealt with many rights and privileges). Under the terms of the
Golden Bull of 1356
The Golden Bull of 1356 (, , , , ) was a decree issued by the Imperial Diet at Nuremberg and Metz ( Diet of Metz, 1356/57) headed by the Emperor Charles IV which fixed, for a period of more than four hundred years, important aspects of the con ...
,
Bohemond II
Bohemond II (1107/1108 – February 1130) was Prince of Taranto from 1111 to 1128 and Prince of Antioch from 1111/1119 to 1130. He was the son of Bohemond I of Antioch, Bohemond I, who in 1108 was forced to submit to the authority of the Byzantin ...
became Elector. According to legend, he was brought back to health from a serious illness by a glass of wine, giving rise to the legend of the ''Berncastler Doctor'' winery.
In 1401,
Nikolaus von Kues, also known by his
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
ized name Nicolaus Cusanus, was born in Moselle shipowner Henne Cryfftz's house, which is well preserved and can be visited. In 1451, the ''St.-Nikolaus-Hospital'', a hospital for the poor, was built.
In 1505, in an
Electoral
An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold public office.
Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy has operated ...
edict from Jakob II, the name ''Landshut'' for the archiepiscopal castle crops up for the first time. Emperor
Maximilian I Maximilian I may refer to:
*Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, reigned 1486/93–1519
*Maximilian I, Elector of Bavaria, reigned 1597–1651
*Maximilian I, Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1636-1689)
*Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria, reigned 1795 ...
spent a night in Bernkastel in 1512 on the way to the
Imperial Diet at Trier.
The
Plague
Plague or The Plague may refer to:
Agriculture, fauna, and medicine
*Plague (disease), a disease caused by ''Yersinia pestis''
* An epidemic of infectious disease (medical or agricultural)
* A pandemic caused by such a disease
* A swarm of pes ...
raged in Bernkastel in 1627, and in Kues in 1641. In 1692, Castle Landshut fell victim to fire and since then it has been a ruin.
From 1794 to 1814, Bernkastel was a cantonal ''
chef-lieu
An administrative center is a seat of regional administration or local government, or a county town, or the place where the central administration of a commune is located.
In countries with French as administrative language (such as Belgium, Lux ...
'' under
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
rule. At the
Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna (, ) of 1814–1815 was a series of international diplomatic meetings to discuss and agree upon a possible new layout of the European political and constitutional order after the downfall of the French Emperor Napoleon B ...
in 1815, Bernkastel and Kues were annexed to the Kingdom of
Prussia
Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an em ...
. In 1821 Bernkastel became a district seat. In 1848, the
Revolution
In political science, a revolution (Latin: ''revolutio'', "a turn around") is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due ...
came to Bernkastel as it had to many of the then politically disunited German lands: The black-red-gold flag was hoisted at the town hall and a
militia
A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...
was formed.
The first road bridge between Bernkastel and Kues was built between 1872 and 1874, as was the first
railway
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...
link in 1882 and 1883. In 1891, Bernkastel marked its 600-year jubilee as a town.
The town in its current form came into being on 1 April 1905 through the merger of the town of Bernkastel with the winemaking village of Kues across the river. In 1926 there arose great unrest among winemakers along the Moselle, and the financial office in Bernkastel and the customs office in Kues were stormed.
On
Kristallnacht
() or the Night of Broken Glass, also called the November pogrom(s) (german: Novemberpogrome, ), was a pogrom against Jews carried out by the Nazi Party's (SA) paramilitary and (SS) paramilitary forces along with some participation from ...
(9 November 1938), there were great riots against
Jew
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""Th ...
ish inhabitants, and the
synagogue
A synagogue, ', 'house of assembly', or ', "house of prayer"; Yiddish: ''shul'', Ladino: or ' (from synagogue); or ', "community". sometimes referred to as shul, and interchangeably used with the word temple, is a Jewish house of worshi ...
was destroyed.
In 1946, the first democratic elections after the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
were held. Hans Weber became mayor.
In 1970, Andel and Wehlen were amalgamated with the town. With administrative reform in
Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate ( , ; german: link=no, Rheinland-Pfalz ; lb, Rheinland-Pfalz ; pfl, Rhoilond-Palz) is a western state of Germany. It covers and has about 4.05 million residents. It is the ninth largest and sixth most populous of the ...
, the
''Verbandsgemeinde'' of Bernkastel-Kues was formed through the merger of the ''
Ämter'' of Bernkastel-Land, Lieser, Mülheim, Zeltingen and the town of Bernkastel-Kues.
In 1997, the Burgbergtunnel, a traffic bypass, had its festive opening.
Bernkastel-Kues was the host town for the annual Intercamp Camporee for the year 2008. Scouting councils from the
USA
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
, the
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
, Germany,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, and many other
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
an countries attended the event on May 9–11.
In 2000 began the partnership between Bernkastel-Kues and Karlovy Vary in the
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
. In 2005, the town celebrated the centenary of the merger of Bernkastel and Kues, and the municipality became a “climatic health resort” (''Heilklimatischer Kurort'').
Politics
Town council
The council is made up of 22 council members, who were elected by
proportional representation
Proportional representation (PR) refers to a type of electoral system under which subgroups of an electorate are reflected proportionately in the elected body. The concept applies mainly to geographical (e.g. states, regions) and political divis ...
at the municipal election held on 7 June 2009, and the honorary mayor as chairman.
The municipal election held on 7 June 2009 yielded the following results:
Mayors
The honorary mayor is Wolfgang Port (CDU). He was first elected in 2000 and last re-elected in 2019 with 61.6% of the votes.
Port's predecessor, Helmut Gestrich, was mayor beginning in 1994 and was reëlected in 1999, but he resigned the mayoralty on 22 November 2000 after having been linked to the so-called Doerfert Affair (a corruption scandal; its namesake, Hans-Joachim Doerfert, was sentenced to seven years and three months for fraud and breach of trust, although he only served five years).
Coat of arms
![DEU Bernkastel-Kues COA](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/DEU_Bernkastel-Kues_COA.svg)
The town's
arms
Arms or ARMS may refer to:
*Arm or arms, the upper limbs of the body
Arm, Arms, or ARMS may also refer to:
People
* Ida A. T. Arms (1856–1931), American missionary-educator, temperance leader
Coat of arms or weapons
*Armaments or weapons
**Fi ...
might be described thus: Quarterly, first and fourth sable a key palewise argent, the wards to chief and sinister, second Or a bear passant of the first, and third Or a crayfish palewise gules, the head to chief.
The arms borne until 1951 were similar, but there were two notable differences:
* The third quarter bore another bear, like the second quarter, but it was turned to sinister (armsbearer's left, viewer's right);
* There was a silver
inescutcheon
In heraldry, an escutcheon () is a shield that forms the main or focal element in an achievement of arms. The word can be used in two related senses. In the first sense, an escutcheon is the shield upon which a coat of arms is displayed. In the s ...
at the fess point (centre)
charge
Charge or charged may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Films
* ''Charge, Zero Emissions/Maximum Speed'', a 2011 documentary
Music
* ''Charge'' (David Ford album)
* ''Charge'' (Machel Montano album)
* ''Charge!!'', an album by The Aqua ...
d with a red cross, (i.e., the arms of the
Archbishopric of Trier
The Diocese of Trier, in English historically also known as ''Treves'' (IPA "tɾivz") from French ''Trèves'', is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic church in Germany.[Saint Peter
Saint Peter; he, שמעון בר יונה, Šimʿōn bar Yōnāh; ar, سِمعَان بُطرُس, translit=Simʿa̅n Buṭrus; grc-gre, Πέτρος, Petros; cop, Ⲡⲉⲧⲣⲟⲥ, Petros; lat, Petrus; ar, شمعون الصفـا, Sham'un ...]
, to whom the Archbishopric of Trier is consecrated. The bear is the town's armorial bearing, and is
canting
' (IPA: , VOS Spelling: ''tjanting'', jv, ꦕꦤ꧀ꦛꦶꦁ, Tjanting) is a pen-like tool used to apply liquid hot wax ( jv, ) in the batik-making process in Indonesia, more precisely '' batik tulis'' (lit. "written batik"). Traditional ''T ...
(“bear” is ''Bär'' in
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
). The crayfish, also canting, as the blazon calls it a ''Krebs'' (a word applied to any of a number of
crustacean
Crustaceans (Crustacea, ) form a large, diverse arthropod taxon which includes such animals as decapods, seed shrimp, branchiopods, fish lice, krill, remipedes, isopods, barnacles, copepods, amphipods and mantis shrimp. The crustacean group ...
creatures), stands for
Nikolaus von Kues, whose family name was Cryfftz (the same as ''Krebs'' in
High German
The High German dialects (german: hochdeutsche Mundarten), or simply High German (); not to be confused with Standard High German which is commonly also called ''High German'', comprise the varieties of German spoken south of the Benrath and ...
). There are only two other towns in Germany whose arms bear a crustacean charge, namely
Bad Wurzach
Bad Wurzach (until 1950 Wurzach) is a small spa town in southern Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg. It is a well known health-resort destination, and home to the oldest bog spa (in German: ''Moorheilbad'') in Baden-Württemberg, as well ...
in the
Allgäu
The Allgäu (Standard German: , also Allgovia) is a region in Swabia in southern Germany. It covers the south of Bavarian Swabia, southeastern Baden-Württemberg, and parts of Austria. The region stretches from the pre-alpine lands up to the A ...
and
Cottbus
Cottbus (; Lower Sorbian: ''Chóśebuz'' ; Polish: Chociebuż) is a university city and the second-largest city in Brandenburg, Germany. Situated around southeast of Berlin, on the River Spree, Cottbus is also a major railway junction with exten ...
.
Culture and sightseeing
![Bernkastel](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/Bernkastel.jpg)
Worth seeing in Bernkastel is the
mediaeval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
marketplace
A marketplace or market place is a location where people regularly gather for the purchase and sale of provisions, livestock, and other goods. In different parts of the world, a marketplace may be described as a '' souk'' (from the Arabic), ' ...
with its gabled
timber-frame
Timber framing (german: Holzfachwerk) and "post-and-beam" construction are traditional methods of building with heavy timbers, creating structures using squared-off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden ...
houses from the 17th century, foremost among which is the narrow ''Spitzhäuschen'' (“Pointed House”) from 1416. Around the ''St. Michaelsbrunnen'' (“
Saint Michael’s Fountain”) from 1606 gathers a row of well-preserved buildings and also the
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...
Town Hall from 1608. The
Graach Gate
The Graach Gate (German: ''Graacher Tor'') is the last remaining town gate of the German town of Bernkastel-Kues. The name ''Graach'' refers to the neighbouring village of Graach connected by a narrow road to the gate. Currently the building is us ...
is an often visited tourist attraction. Above the constituent community of Bernkastel lie the Castle Landshut ruins, a former summer residence of the Archbishops of Trier that was destroyed by fire on 8 January 1692. It today serves as a popular lookout point over the Moselle valley. Also worth seeing is the only town gate that is still standing, the ''Graacher Tor'' (“
Graach Gate
The Graach Gate (German: ''Graacher Tor'') is the last remaining town gate of the German town of Bernkastel-Kues. The name ''Graach'' refers to the neighbouring village of Graach connected by a narrow road to the gate. Currently the building is us ...
”).
The town furthermore has several squares at its disposal; beyond the mediaeval marketplace are the ''Platz am Bärenbrunnen'' (“Square at the Bear’s Fountain”) and the ''Karlsbader Platz'' (“Karlovy Vary Square” – named after the partner town, which is called ''Karlsbad'' in
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
) opened in July 2005. The ''Doctorbrunnen'' (“Doctor Fountain”) depicts scenes of the old legend about a local wine, the famous "Bernkasteler Doctor". Another well-known point of interest is the
Late Gothic ''St. Nikolaus-Hospital'' (''
Cusanusstift
The Cusanusstift (St. Nikolaus-Hospital) is a historic building in Bernkastel-Kues, Germany. It was founded by Nicholas of Cusa in 1458. It contains a world-famous library and a wine museum.
Manuscript 52 in its library contains the only comple ...
''), an Electoral complex of
Nikolaus von Kues. The institution's library has an outstanding scientific range of works. It is also well known for its chapel, where the heart of the great philosopher, cardinal and polymath
Nikolaus von Kues (Cusanus) is buried. Near the outlying centre of Wehlen lies the former Machern Monastery in whose rooms are now found a winery, a house brewery and a restaurant.
Regular events
* ''MoselMusikFestival'' (May to October)
* ''Weinfest der Mittelmosel'' (“Wine Festival of the Middle Moselle”, each year on the first weekend in September) – with, among other things, a parade and fireworks
* Christmas market in the mediaeval town. Many local vendors sell everything from
mulled wine
Mulled wine, also known as spiced wine, is an alcoholic drink usually made with red wine, along with various mulling spices and sometimes raisins, served hot or warm. It is a traditional drink during winter, especially around Christmas. It is us ...
to handmade trinkets.
* ''Tage alter Chormusik'' (“Days of Choir Music”, each year in the week after Easter
* International rowing regatta on the Moselle for the ''Grüner Moselpokal'' (“Green Moselle Cup”) in September
* Mittelalter-Spectacel (a mediaeval spectacle, every other year)
* Bernkastel-Kueser Reitertage (“Riding Days”)
* ''Moselfestwochen'' (classic music festival)
* ''Straßenfest'' (street fair) in the constituent community of Kues
* ''Tage der offenen Weinkeller'' (“Open Wine Cellar Days”) in the constituent community of Kues where the winemakers of Kues present and sell their wine in their own wine cellars.
* Annual horse show on the Easter weekend
Economy and infrastructure
Public institutions
Education
*
Nikolaus-von-Kues-
Gymnasium
* Freiherr-vom-Stein-
Realschule
''Realschule'' () is a type of secondary school in Germany, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. It has also existed in Croatia (''realna gimnazija''), the Austrian Empire, the German Empire, Denmark and Norway (''realskole''), Sweden (''realskola''), ...
*
Hauptschule
A ''Hauptschule'' (, "general school") is a secondary school in Germany, starting after four years of elementary schooling (''Grundschule''), which offers Lower Secondary Education (Level 2) according to the International Standard Classification ...
with all-day school
* Grundschule Kues (Cusanusschule) (
primary school
A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary e ...
)
* Grundschule Wehlen (primary school)
* Professional training schools (''Berufsbildende Schulen'') with professional school (''Berufsfachschule'') I and II, upper professional school (''Berufsoberschule'')
* ''Hotelfachschule'' and ''Höhere Berufsfachschule für Hotelmanagement''
* ''Medizinisches Ausbildungszentrum Moseltal, Fachschule für Physiotherapie'' (medical training centre, specialization in physiotherapy)
* ''Burg-Landshut-Schule für Lernbehinderte'' (for students with learning difficulties)
* ''Rosenbergschule'' (
special school
Special education (known as special-needs education, aided education, exceptional education, alternative provision, exceptional student education, special ed., SDC, or SPED) is the practice of educating students in a way that accommodates th ...
with focus on holistic development)
Authorities
* ''
Amtsgericht
An ''Amtsgericht'' (District Court) in Germany is an official court. These courts form the lowest level of the so-called 'ordinary jurisdiction' of the German judiciary (German ''Ordentliche Gerichtsbarkeit''), which is responsible for most crim ...
''
* ''Bundesagentur für Arbeit'' (Federal agency for labour)
* ''Cusanus-Krankenhaus'' (
hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment with specialized health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically has an emerge ...
, part of ''CTT Verbundkrankenhaus Bernkastel-Wittlich'')
* ''Dienstleistungszentrum Ländlicher Raum'' (a
Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate ( , ; german: link=no, Rheinland-Pfalz ; lb, Rheinland-Pfalz ; pfl, Rhoilond-Palz) is a western state of Germany. It covers and has about 4.05 million residents. It is the ninth largest and sixth most populous of the ...
institution that concerns itself with a broad array of matters relating to
agriculture
Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...
,
winegrowing
Viticulture (from the Latin word for ''vine'') or winegrowing (wine growing) is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, ran ...
and
oenology
Oenology (also enology; ) is the science and study of wine and winemaking. Oenology is distinct from viticulture, which is the science of the growing, cultivation, and harvesting of grapes. The English word oenology derives from the Greek word ' ...
, schools teaching in agricultural disciplines, and many other related things, in both advisory and developmental capacities)
* ''Finanzamt Bernkastel-Wittlich'' (financial office – branch location)
* ''Kraftfahrzeugzulassungsstelle Bernkastel-Wittlich'' (vehicle licensing centre – branch location)
* ''Polizeiinspektion'' (police service)
* ''Verbandsgemeindeverwaltung Bernkastel-Kues'' (''
Verbandsgemeinde
A Verbandsgemeinde (; plural Verbandsgemeinden) is a low-level administrative unit in the German federal states of Rhineland-Palatinate and Saxony-Anhalt. A Verbandsgemeinde is typically composed of a small group of villages or towns.
Rhineland- ...
'' administration)
* ''Vermessungs- und Katasteramt'' (surveying and cadastral office)
* ''Wasser- und Schifffahrtsamt Trier'' (water and shipping office – branch location)
* ''Wasserschutzpolizei'' (water protection police)
Established businesses
*
Mageba, a producer of textile machinery
* Median Kliniken GmbH with its rehabilitation centre, biggest employer in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district
* Moselland eG, biggest
winemaking cooperative
A winemaking cooperative is an agricultural cooperative which is involved in winemaking, and which in a similar way to other cooperatives is owned by its members. The members in a winemaking cooperative are usually vineyard owners, who deliver gr ...
in Rhineland-Palatinate, turnover: €47,500,000
* Peter Mertes Weinkellerei GmbH, biggest German
winery
A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, ...
, turnover: €130,000,000 (2004)
Winegrowing
![Bernkastel-Kues 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/Bernkastel-Kues_1.JPG)
Historically, the most important economic sector has been
winegrowing
Viticulture (from the Latin word for ''vine'') or winegrowing (wine growing) is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, ran ...
. Within the Bernkastel area, vines are worked overwhelmingly in steep-slope vineyards in an area of 5,844 ha.
Moselwein e. V.
/ref> There are still many wineries in Bernkastel-Kues today. Riesling
Riesling (, ; ) is a white grape variety that originated in the Rhine region. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet, and sparkling wh ...
is the customary grape variety, although smaller quantities of other varieties, such as Burgunder, Rivaner, Kerner and Dornfelder
Dornfelder is a dark-skinned variety of grape of German origin used for red wine. , are also grown.
Within town limits, the winemaking appellations – ''Großlagen'' – Münzlay (Wehlen), Badstube (Bernkastel) and Kurfürstlay (Bernkastel, Kues and Andel) are represented by the following vineyards:
Transport
Road
Bernkastel-Kues lies on ''Bundesstraße
''Bundesstraße'' (German for "federal highway"), abbreviated ''B'', is the denotation for German and Austrian national highways.
Germany
Germany's ''Bundesstraßen'' network has a total length of about 40,000 km.
German ''Bundesstraßen'' ...
n'' 50 and 53. With the opening of the Burgbergtunnel (550 m), heavy traffic in the constituent community of Bernkastel was alleviated. Also, two bridges are found in town, one of which is the only suspension bridge
A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck (bridge), deck is hung below suspension wire rope, cables on vertical suspenders. The first modern examples of this type of bridge were built in the early 1800s. Simple suspension bridg ...
across the Moselle
The Moselle ( , ; german: Mosel ; lb, Musel ) is a river that rises in the Vosges mountains and flows through north-eastern France and Luxembourg to western Germany. It is a bank (geography), left bank tributary of the Rhine, which it jo ...
. Both were renovated in the 1990s. Public transport is integrated into the ''Verkehrsverbund Region Trier'' (VRT), whose fares therefore apply.
Rail
Until 31 December 1962, the narrow gauge ''Moseltalbahn'', also called the ''Saufbähnchen'', ran through Bernkastel-Kues. The railway station
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...
building stands at the water's edge in the constituent community of Bernkastel (right bank). Furthermore, there was a Deutsche Bahn
The (; abbreviated as DB or DB AG) is the national railway company of Germany. Headquartered in the Bahntower in Berlin, it is a joint-stock company ( AG). The Federal Republic of Germany is its single shareholder.
describes itself as the se ...
terminal station in the constituent community of Kues (left bank) whence a further railway track, the Wengerohr–Bernkastel-Kues line, linked the town with Wittlich and the Moselle line (Cannons Railway
The ''Kanonenbahn'' (literally "Cannons Railway") is a former German military strategic railway between Berlin and Metz via Güsten, Wetzlar, Koblenz and Trier. Metz is in Alsace-Lorraine, which was annexed by Germany after the Franco-Prussian Wa ...
). Both railway
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...
s are disused and the tracks have been torn up. The slate-block railway station building, built “Moselle-style” in the early 20th century by ''Reichsbahn
The ''Deutsche Reichsbahn'', also known as the German National Railway, the German State Railway, German Reich Railway, and the German Imperial Railway, was the German national railway system created after the end of World War I from the regiona ...
'' building director Franz Schenk, has likewise been preserved. An adjoining goods building was restored and is now used as a multifunctional building (''Güterhalle''). In what was once the track area there was at first an unsecured carpark. Now here is the ''Forum Alter Bahnhof'', a municipal service centre with an underground parking garage. The track itself was first converted as far as Lieser into the ''Mosel-Radweg'' (cycling trail), and then later into the ''Maare-Mosel-Radweg'' through Wittlich to Daun
Daun is a town in the Vulkaneifel district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is the district seat and also the seat of the ' of Daun.
Geography
Location
The town lies in the , a part of the Eifel known for its volcanic history, geogra ...
in the Eifel
The Eifel (; lb, Äifel, ) is a low mountain range in western Germany and eastern Belgium. It occupies parts of southwestern North Rhine-Westphalia, northwestern Rhineland-Palatinate and the southern area of the German-speaking Community of ...
.
Water
Bernkastel-Kues is a stop on Rhine
), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source1_coordinates=
, source1_elevation =
, source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein
, source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source2_coordinates=
, so ...
-Moselle
The Moselle ( , ; german: Mosel ; lb, Musel ) is a river that rises in the Vosges mountains and flows through north-eastern France and Luxembourg to western Germany. It is a bank (geography), left bank tributary of the Rhine, which it jo ...
cruises. Along the shore of the Moselle are many landing stages from which there are many tours daily.
Notable people
* Nikolaus von Kues (Cusanus) (1401–1464), philosopher, theologian, jurist and astronomer
*Charles IV, Duke of Lorraine
Charles IV (5 April 1604, Nancy – 18 September 1675, Allenbach) was Duke of Lorraine from 1624 until his death in 1675, with a brief interruption in 1634, when he abdicated under French pressure in favor of his younger brother, Nicholas Franc ...
(1604–1675), Duke of Lorraine
The rulers of Lorraine have held different posts under different governments over different regions, since its creation as the kingdom of Lotharingia by the Treaty of Prüm, in 855. The first rulers of the newly established region were kings of t ...
, died in Bernkastel
*Hermann Schroeder
Hermann Schroeder (26 March 1904 – 7 October 1984) was a German composer and a Catholic church musician.
Life
Schroeder was born in Bernkastel and spent the greatest part of his life’s work in the Rheinland. His mother's family had common ...
(1904–1984), composer
* Heiner Thiel (born 1957), sculptor and curator
*Stuart Pigott
Stuart Pigott (born 26 May 1960 in Orpington, Kent) is a British wine critic and author who has lived in Berlin since 1993. Pigott mostly writes in German, and focuses on German wine. He writes for the specialist magazines ''Feinschmecker'' an ...
(born 1960), British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
, wine specialist, author and journalist
Twin towns – sister cities
Bernkastel-Kues is twinned with:
* Karlovy Vary
Karlovy Vary (; german: Karlsbad, formerly also spelled ''Carlsbad'' in English) is a spa town, spa city in the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 46,000 inhabitants. It lies on the confluence of the rivers Ohře and Teplá. ...
, Czech Republic
Panorama
Further reading
* Franz Schmitt: Chronik von Cues. Bernkastel-Kues 1981.
* Franz Schmitt: Bernkastel im Wandel der Zeiten. Trier 1985.
References
External links
Town’s official webpage
Official webpage in English of Tourism of Bernkastel-Kues in Moselle Valley
at SWR Fernsehen
SWR Fernsehen is a German regional television channel targeting the states of Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate. It is produced by Südwestrundfunk (SWR) and is one of eight regional "third channels" broadcast by the ARD members.
Hist ...
Constituent community of Andel
Constituent community of Wehlen
''Moselfestwochen''
{{Authority control
Bernkastel-Wittlich