by Gert Fischer | May, 2026 | EN, history, Rhine region
Bonn last experienced a flood on the Rhine in January 2025. The water level rose to just under 7.50 m, exceeding the lowest flood mark by half a metre. No big deal for long-time residents of the Rhine. First on the right bank of the Rhine in Beuel and then at a few other locations, the riverside promenades were closed off. The car ferries could no longer be reached, and an important tram service was suspended as a precaution. Nothing happened. It was more of an opportunity for a Sunday outing on the banks of the Rhine.
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The flood disaster of 1784 was quite a different matter. Apart from two extreme cases in the 14th century, about which there are no precise records, it was by far the worst flood event on the Rhine in historical times. Although the Bonn Rhine gauge has only existed since 1820, the flood of 1784 can be reconstructed. It reached over 14 metres, which is 4 metres higher than any other flood in the last 650 years. On the right bank of the Rhine, the floodwaters extended as far as the area of today’s Beuel railway station. With the exception of Wolfsburg, a medieval moated castle, all the houses here were destroyed. Even in Bonn, which is normally flood-proof, the districts facing the Rhine, including the Jewish quarter, were severely affected. The water is said to have even reached the rear of the city centre via the former city moat and to have stood in the cloister of the cathedral. The fact that there were hardly any deaths or injuries was due to the particular nature of this flood. Whilst ‘normal’ floods are the result of rain or snowmelt in the major tributaries and move relatively quickly along the Rhine as a flood wave, this time ice played a major role. Arctic temperatures prevailed for more than two months, repeatedly interrupted by heavy snowfall and brief periods of thaw. The ice floes piled up to form barriers; the water could not drain away and, weeks before the actual disaster, it slowly rose higher and higher. This at least gave people time to save themselves and their animals. When the ice dams finally broke at the end of February, it was the ice floes that caused the greatest devastation.
The Bonn area has been familiar with flooding ever since people have lived here. The city and the settlements from which it grew are situated in a landscape shaped by the Rhine. Between the Siebengebirge and the Ennert in the east and the Kottenforst and the Venusberg in the west, it has carved out a valley funnel that is still criss-crossed by former river branches. They are still there, but are barely recognisable in today’s cityscape. People have been slow to settle in this landscape. The earliest traces of human habitation come from the slopes of the Venusberg and the Ennert. The lower terrace, lying only slightly above river level, was settled relatively late; specifically at carefully selected points safe from flooding. Here, a few metres could make all the difference. The area of what is now Bonn’s city centre has always been the safest. Its highest point on Acherstraße lies about 20 metres above the zero line of the modern Bonn water gauge.
Old settlement centres such as Muffendorf, Friesdorf and Rüngsdorf in the south of Bonn are similarly safe. Parts of the urban area on the right bank of the Rhine, in the vicinity of the former town of Beuel, remain significantly more at risk to this day.
Anyone wishing to learn more about what the Rhine’s floods can still mean for Bonn today is recommended to take a walk along the Beuel bank of the Rhine. Here, at various points, there are markers documenting past floods, and everywhere the walls and floodgates that form the first line of defence are visible.
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Today, this provides protection up to a water level of 9.50 m, with a second line behind it offering protection up to 11.50 m. In Rheinaustraße, the ground-floor flats in many buildings are actually on the first floor. The actual ground floor houses only garages and storage rooms – a reminder of a time just a few years ago when an 8.50-metre flood reached this far. The flood defences are particularly robust in the north of Beuel. The Rhine embankment towards the mouth of the Sieg is not only a lovely walking path, it also provides protection against floodwaters up to 11.50 metres. There is nothing comparable along Bonn’s Rhine promenade. Whilst south of the Alter Zoll the buildings have always stood high up on the steep slope, the urban districts further north were secured by raising the riverbank; once in the second half of the 19th century during the construction of the Rhine promenade, and most recently immediately after the Second World War. At that time, the rubble from the bombed-out old town was used to raise the Rhine bank by almost two metres. The original height can still be seen at the foot of the bridge pier, where a section of the old promenade has been preserved.
The years 1993 and 1995 demonstrated that dramatic floods still occur even today. In both instances, the 10-metre mark was exceeded. The fate of the so-called ‘Schürmann Building’ made headlines. Originally planned as an extension of the Federal Parliament building and now the headquarters of Deutsche Welle, its shell was pushed upwards by the groundwater from the 1993 flood and subsequently stood at an angle. Those responsible did not, as had actually been planned, flood the underground car park at the time, because the ventilation system intended for installation was being stored there temporarily. The damage was enormous. Nevertheless, the federal government decided against demolition and in favour of completing the building. It was the events of these two years that led to a significant strengthening of flood defences, particularly on the right bank of the Rhine. This included a major overhaul of the sewerage system to prevent water from entering via this route.
Even though the focus these days tends to be on the average water levels that have been falling for several decades – thanks to climate change – because they jeopardise the Rhine’s functionality as a waterway, the issue of flooding will continue to be a concern for Bonn in the future.
by Stefan Heinze | Mar, 2026 | EN, Events, famous people from Bonn, Music
Beethoven was born in Bonn in 1770, lived and composed in Bonn until 1792. Beethoven’s first printed composition appeared as early as 1782. That’s why Bonn is also called Beethoven City. This blog is intended to show that Beethoven can be experienced in Bonn with different senses.
Of course, you can listen to Beethoven in Bonn. For example, at the Beethoven Orchestra, at the Beethoven Festival (Home | Beethovenfest and https://bonn-greeters.org/en/beethovenfest-bonn-not-just-in-2025/), or at the Beethoven Piano Club (Homepage – Beethoven Piano Club). Beethoven’s music from his time in Bonn is regularly played at the Namen Jesu Church (Art and Culture – Namen Jesu Church).
If you want to learn more about Beethoven’s life, we recommend the Beethoven tour (Locations in Bonn | Beethoven Tour). You can read about his history in Bonn on yellow or silver pillars marked with the letters BTHVN. The yellow pillars are chronoscopes where you can watch and listen to short films.
Music is also available to take away on CD: to mark the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, Bonn pianist Susanne Kessel (Susanne Kessel – Wikipedia) invited composers worldwide to compose pieces relating to Beethoven (his music, his life, his ideals, etc.). The project 250 piano pieces for Beethoven (250 piano pieces for Beethoven | international composition project – initiated by Susanne Kessel) encouraged composers of all genres to participate, including Wolfgang Niedecken (BAP) and Mike Garson (David Bowie Band).
by Stefan Heinze | Feb, 2026 | EN, famous people from Bonn, history, Music
Beethoven was born in Bonn in 1770 and lived and composed there until 1792. Beethoven’s first printed composition appeared as early as 1782. That is why Bonn is also known as Beethoven City. This blog aims to show that Beethoven can be experienced in Bonn with different senses.
Smelling
In the past, you could at least smell Beethoven—or rather his sheet music—in the archives of the Beethoven House (Das Beethoven-Haus. | Federal City of Bonn). This pleasure has fallen victim to digitization.
After it became known that Beethoven had severe bad breath, Beethoven perfume (L.V.BEETHOVEN Power For Men 100ml – Eau de Parfum: Buy Online at Best Price in KSA – Souq is now Amazon.sa: Beauty) was also taken off the market.
All that remains is the tip about how Beethoven smelled his food (soup, coffee) to check the taste. Swiss television has provided instructions: 250 years of Ludwig van Beethoven – He liked his soup best with 10 eggs – Radio SRF 1 – SRF
Tasting 
Beethoven is not only used in advertising at Ludwigsgrill. The name is also used at Restaurant Ludwig (Bonner Bogen) and Bar Ludwig (Südstadt). Beethoven’s Bar can be found at Motel One, his opera “Fidelio” is sometimes performed at the opera house, and the opera restaurant of the same name is opening more frequently.
Beethoven cubes (pralinés) can be purchased at the Coppeneur chocolatier on Friedrichstraße.
Café Kleimann on Rheingasse also offers special Beethoven delicacies—as well as other Bonn celebrities.
by Stefan Heinze | Feb, 2026 | famous people from Bonn, Music, Uncategorized
Beethoven was born in Bonn in 1770 and lived and composed there until 1792. Beethoven’s first printed composition appeared as early as 1782. That is why Bonn is also known as Beethoven City. This blog aims to show that Beethoven can be experienced in Bonn with different senses.
Seeing
If you arrive by train, the first references to Beethoven can be found on the banisters and doors of the main station building, as well as at the station mission.
Some traffic lights also show that Beethoven was born in this city when they turn green.
If you walk through the city with your eyes open, you will not only find the large Beethoven statue on Münsterplatz, but also many Beethoven figures by Ottmar Hörl (in gold, green, purple, or blue), which were created to mark the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth and show the young, smiling Beethoven. (Beethoven Model 2019| Work | Ottmar Hörl). Beethoven looks down on passers-by not only from shop windows, but also from balconies and canopies.
Sometimes you can even find homemade Beethoven figures: one example sits in the shop window of the Maas fashion store opposite the Beethoven House.
Further Beethoven artworks can be found in the Rheinaue or in the Stadtgarten. Here, Markus Lüpertz has depicted Beethoven as a sick man.
Not every work of art is recognizable as a Beethoven monument at 
first glance: sculptor Yukako Ando has erected a desk in Rheingasse (the place where Beethoven was rescued from the second floor during the highest flood ever recorded in 1784) whose work surface rises like an accordion and merges into an open window. From this window, Beethoven had a view of the Rhine, the Beuel side, and the Siebengebirge mountains. A bird sits as a symbol of freedom.
In front of the Beethovenhalle stands Beethoven by Klaus Kammerichs – an extraordinary bust made of concrete.
The great composer can also be seen on walls and electrical boxes: the wall of the railway station mission is decorated with Beethoven. Another mural can be viewed above the railway tracks at the corner of Kaiserstraße and Weberstraße. There are even two large murals in the Beuel district (Anniversary year: Street art in Bonn honors Beethoven – meikemeilen -).
by Susanne Erbay | Jan, 2026 | Bonn Sights, EN, points of interest, tradition
Bonn’s Carnival is also known as the ‘fifth season’ and officially begins on 11 November at 11:11 a.m. and reaches its peak in the days before Ash Wednesday.
Originally, Carnival was celebrated as a pagan festival to drive away winter. Later, Carnival was celebrated before Lent, the Christian period of fasting before Easter. This year, Bonn Carnival celebrates its 200th anniversary. To mark the occasion, there is a traveling exhibition on the theme of ‘Loss mer fiere. 200 jecke Johr en Bonn!’ (Let’s celebrate. 200 crazy years in Bonn!). The container will be set up in different city districts until October 2026. All information about the traveling exhibition can be found at https://www.bonn.de/bonn-erleben/besichtigen-entdecken/200-jahre-karneval-in-bonn.php?loc=en.
Even though not all Bonn residents like or celebrate Carnival, it has cultural and social significance. Many are involved in carnival clubs, of which there are
numerous in Bonn and the surrounding districts. Each carnival club has different ‘uniforms’ or costumes. The uniforms date back to the French occupation at the end of the 18th / beginning of the 19th century. The occupiers banned carnival because they feared unrest. But after the occupation ended people celebrated again, wearing the uniforms the French had left behind. This was a way of making fun of the occupiers, and later also of the Prussian occupiers. One remnant is the ‘Stippeföttche’, a dance in which men with sabres and rifles (which shoot flowers!) shimmy their backsides together.
The carnival associations organise many carnival events during the season. There are formal sessions, balls, dance parties, ladies’ sessions, men’s sessions and children’s sessions – there is something for everyone. Many a successful comedian or musician made their first appearances there and laid the foundation for their success.
The street carnival kicks off on Women’s Carnival Day. Traditionally, women storm the town hall on this
day, cut off the ties of the men and symbolically take power. This custom was introduced over 200 years ago, in 1824, by the Beuel washerwomen. At that time, the men brought the freshly washed laundry to Cologne by ship, received payment for it and promptly squandered it during Carnival. In 1824 the washerwomen had had enough and decided to take drastic action. They got together for a coffee klatch and founded the Old Beuel Women’s Committee 1824 e. V. Since then, the town hall has traditionally been stormed in Beuel where the Women’s Carnival procession also takes place.
On Carnival Sunday, the Old Town Hall on Bonn’s market square will be stormed by fools. The mayor will try to defend it – but of course she won’t be able to. From 11 a.m. onwards, there will be a lot of carnival hustle and bustle on Bonn’s market square – come and see for yourself.
The highlight of the Bonn Carnival is the Rose Monday Parade. For several hours decorated floats, groups
of people on foot and musicians and bands parade through the city centre and the northern part of the city. Thousands of people line the route and collect sweets and bouquets of flowers. For those who have never been: make sure you have enough bags for the sweets.
The Carnival Prince and the Bonna are the city’s representatives during the carnival season. They take part in numerous events and are the stars of the carnival season, as well as of the Rose Monday parade. The Bonn royal couple’s float is the last one in the Rose Monday parade, before the Bonn-Orange city cleaning service clears away the worst of the dirt from the procession. Everything has to be in order 🙂
It is definitely worth taking part in the carnival adventure, even if you are not from Bonn.
More information and dates can be found at https://www.karneval-in-bonn.de/start/index.html.
by Gert Fischer | Oct, 2025 | Bonn Sights, famous people from Bonn, history, points of interest
In 2025, the Fördergesellschaft für den Alten Friedhof Bonn e.V. (Friends of Bonn’s Old Cemetery Association) celebrates its 50th anniversary. The Bonn Greeters would like to offer their heartfelt congratulations! Through its work, the association makes an important contribution to the preservation and maintenance of one of Bonn’s most significant historical landmarks.
The so-called ‘Old Cemetery’ is easy to overlook. It is surrounded by walls and squeezed between three main roads and the railway line. Its entrance is at the beginning of Bornheimer Straße, almost directly next to the town hall. When you walk through the gate you enter another world. Graves from times long past lie in the shade of tall trees. Weathered gravestones and rusted wrought-iron crosses dominate the scene. Some are crooked. Many of the graves are obviously no longer maintained and are overgrown. The traffic noise fades into the background and birdsong dominates. It is no wonder that feature films are occasionally shot here. Fog machines are turned on and eerie figures stride through the night. The rattling of the railway is suppressed.
The cemetery has been in existence since 1715. At that time, it was located just outside the city fortifications. It owes its triangular layout to the fork in the road where Archbishop Elector Joseph Clemens – better known as the creator of the residential palace, now the university – had it laid out. It was originally intended for soldiers, strangers and poor people, i.e. those whose families did not have graves in the inner-city cemeteries. In 1787, it became the city’s only cemetery: Elector Max Franz closed the parish cemeteries and turned it into a ‘general burial ground’. The reason for this was the realisation that the overcrowded churchyards posed a health risk to the city’s population. In this respect, Bonn was ahead of its time. In most other cities in the Rhineland, such measures were only ordered during French rule after 1794.
The Old Cemetery retained its function as ‘the’ Bonn cemetery until its closure in 1884. From then on, burials were only permitted if the family already had a grave on the site, as there was no more room for expansion. The cemetery was surrounded by buildings on all sides.
An information board at the entrance, as well as the Fördergesellschaft’s website, offer maps and a detailed overview of the VIP tombstones . There is much more to discover than the graves of Beethoven’s mother, Clara and Robert Schumann, Barthold Georg Niebuhr or Ernst Moritz Arndt, because the Old Cemetery reflects the history of bourgeois Bonn in the 19th century. In addition to the graves of well-known and lesser-known Bonn families, the resting places of university professors also play an important role. This part of the cemetery register reads like a “Who’s Who” of the German scholarly world of that time. Scattered across the grounds, we also find traces of the British colony, which was important for the social history of the city. Somewhat hidden away are the graves of French soldiers from the war of 1870/71. Added to this is the art-historical dimension. A tour of the cemetery is always a journey through the representative funeral culture of the 19th century. Particularly important are the cemetery chapel – built in the 13th century as the chapel of the Teutonic Order in Ramersdorf and moved here in the 1840s as an early example of monument preservation – and the former market cross of the medieval market in Dietkirchen in the north of Bonn.
Another treasure of the Old Cemetery is its trees, some of which date back to the 19th century. This is where problems become apparent: in some places, monument preservation and nature conservation compete with each other, as the tree roots threaten historic graves. Nowhere is this more evident than at the grave of Ernst Moritz Arndt, where the oak tree he planted himself almost 200 years ago is in the process of overturning the gravestones.
Another problem is that the majority of the graves are no longer in use. The families have died out or now bury their members elsewhere. This means that time has practically stood still. This is a major challenge for the city, because although it can preserve the site as a whole, it does not have the resources to maintain the countless unused graves, let alone preserve the gravestones, apart from the graves of honour. On the other hand, ‘clearing’ the graves after the burial periods have expired, as is customary in normal cemeteries, is not an option due to the historical significance of the site and the existing monument protection. The support association helps to solve this dilemma. Among other things, it is responsible for the restoration of graves of historical or art-historical significance.
Another option is the ‘grave sponsorships’ arranged by the support association. In this case, the sponsors take over the maintenance of an abandoned grave, including the restoration of the gravestone, and thus acquire the right from the city of Bonn to be buried in this grave sometime in the future. Not everyone may like the idea of lying under someone else’s gravestone and being limited to a modest stone cushion with their own name on it. And some people also consider it morbid for someone to maintain their own grave during their lifetime. However, my wife and I find it somehow reassuring to know where we will end up – if nothing else comes in between.
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