~ Rolandseck, 29.02.2024 ~
The place consists of a number of buildings (houses, apartment blocks, an old wharf, some stores) along the B9 highway. Parallel to the road runs a pedestrian promenade along the Rhine.
It offers a good view of the Siebengebirge mountain range on the other side of the river. A ferry goes back and forth between Rolandseck and Königswinter.
A good number of the buildings in Rolandseck are vacant, if not outright ruins. This one used to host the headquarters of the Green Party when Bonn was still West Germany's capital.
The island of Nonnenwerth lies just off the B9 north of Rolandseck. During the winter the Rhine often rises high, so it's common for the tip of the island to lie underwater.
Beyond the train station is a series of villas, some stately, some decrepit. When I was younger, there was a Chinese restaurant in the bottom floor of one of them. The decoration remains, but the building seems abandoned.
The highlight of Rolandseck is the 19th century train station, beautiful inside and out. It was renovated a few decades ago.
The upper floor hosts a restaurant today, the ground floor is used for some art gallery stuff.
I've passed through Rolandseck thousands of times in my life, but this was my first time exploring it on foot.
Rolandseck is a stretch of land downstream of Oberwinter.