3 Best Sights in Bingen, The Rhineland

First mentioned in AD 793, this soaring Catholic church was built on the site of an older Roman temple. It's been destroyed and rebuilt a number of times since then, which has resulted in an interesting mix of architectural styles; the 11th-century crypt and Gothic and baroque furnishings make it worth a visit. It's dedicated to the 4th-century Martin of Tours, and you'll find the former patron saint of France depicted in carvings and frescoes throughout the church.

Throughout its history, Bingen has repeatedly been destroyed by wars and fires, which means there are many ancient foundations but few visible architectural remains of the past. One very notable exception is this castle. Since Celtic times, the Kloppberg (Klopp Hill) in the heart of town has been the site of a succession of citadels, and since 1282 they've all been named Burg Klopp. Visit today and you'll find a terrace with good views of the Rhine, the Nahe, and the surrounding hills, and from April to October you can climb the tower for a more lofty view.

Looking west along the river from Bingen, you can just about spot the Mäuseturm, perched on a rocky island near the Binger Loch. The name derives from a gruesome legend. One version tells that during a famine in 969 the miserly Archbishop Hatto hoarded grain and sought refuge in the tower to escape the peasants' pleas for food. The stockpile attracted scads of mice to the tower, where they devoured everything in sight, including Hatto. In fact, the tower was built by the archbishops of Mainz in the 13th and 14th centuries as a Mautturm (watch tower and toll station) for their fortress, Ehrenfels, on the opposite shore; now an atmospheric ruin. It was restored in neo-Gothic style by the king of Prussia in 1855, who also rebuilt Burg Sooneck, but you can't go inside.