Cochem, District capital in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Cochem is a district capital on the Moselle in Rhineland-Palatinate, spreading across wooded slopes and vineyards. The townscape is shaped by a castle perched on a rock outcrop, while a compact old town with narrow lanes sits along the riverbank.
The settlement was first recorded in 866 and received town rights in 1332. A plague epidemic struck in 1423, while the present castle was rebuilt after 1868 on the ruins of a medieval structure.
The name comes from a Latin term for a settlement, and today the old town displays half-timbered houses with colorful facades along narrow lanes. Visitors find wine taverns and small shops that residents use in their daily routines.
The town is connected to larger German cities by Regionalbahn, Regional-Express and InterCity train services. Visitors can best explore the old town on foot and should wear sturdy shoes for the climb up to the castle.
The railway station from 1900 to 1902 shows a Renaissance Revival building style. This is one of the smallest district capitals in Germany measured by population.
Location: Cochem-Zell
Elevation above the sea: 85 m
Address: 56812 Cochem, Germany
Website: https://cochem.de
GPS coordinates: 50.14694,7.16667
Latest update: December 4, 2025 23:04
Rhineland-Palatinate preserves centuries of European fortification architecture across a region shaped by river valleys and forested highlands. Medieval castles like Eltz Castle rise above the Moselle loop at Bremm, while Pfalzgrafenstein Castle sits on a Rhine island at Kaub, where it once controlled river traffic. Roman foundations lie beneath later structures such as Limburg Monastery near Bad Dürkheim, and Romanesque abbeys like Maria Laach demonstrate monastic design from the 11th century. The landscape ranges from the Teufelsfels rock formation in the Hunsrück to the ruins of Hardenburg, among the largest fortress complexes in the state. From the Rhine Valley with Stolzenfels Castle and the Loreley to the Palatinate fortresses of Hambach and Trifels, these sites document the region's strategic importance. Pyrmont Castle stands beside a waterfall near Roes, while the ruins of Frankenstein Castle near Kaiserslautern show medieval defensive works. Natural formations like the Kaltwasser Geysir at Andernach and the Geierlay Suspension Bridge at Mörsdorf complement the historical structures, providing access to the geological features between the Rhine, Moselle and Nahe rivers.
Reichsburg Cochem
528 m
Bundesbank bunker
849 m
Kaiser-Wilhelm-Tunnel
2.2 km
Wild- und Freizeitpark Klotten
1.5 km
Winneburg
2 km
Kloster Stuben
5.7 km
Skagerrak-Brücke
161 m
Cochemer Sesselbahn
610 m
Kapuzinerkloster Cochem
289 m
Burg Coraidelstein
3.3 km
Kloster Ebernach
1.7 km
Enderttor
108 m
Staustufe Fankel
5 km
Die heiße Fahrt
1.3 km
Brauselay
1.3 km
Columbarium (Cochem)
934 m
St Martin (Cochem)
107 m
Doertebachtal
4.2 km
Martin city gate
495 m
Landwehr
4.6 km
St. Hilarius
5.3 km
Synagoge Bruttig
5.2 km
Alter jüdischer Friedhof
756 m
Seitskapelle
2.5 km
Neuer jüdischer Friedhof (Cochem)
486 m
Jewish cemetery
3.1 km
Blick auf Moselschleife Calmont
5.8 km
Kreuzkapelle
4.7 kmReviews
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