Niederwalddenkmal, National monument in Rüdesheim am Rhein, Germany
The Niederwalddenkmal is a bronze and stone structure standing 38 meters tall above the Rhine near Rüdesheim am Rhein. The central figure Germania stands on a multi-tiered base, surrounded by additional sculptures and inscriptions distributed across the entire site.
Kaiser Wilhelm I laid the foundation stone in 1877, and the monument was inaugurated in 1883 to commemorate the founding of the German Empire in 1871. Johannes Schilling designed the bronze figure of Germania, which was cast in Dresden and transported by ship to Rüdesheim.
The figure of Germania wears an imperial crown and holds the reclaimed imperial sword in her right hand, while her left displays the imperial crown. Many visitors climb the steps to the base and study the relief panels depicting scenes from the war of 1870 and 1871.
The monument is accessible daily and can be reached from the valley by cable car or through several hiking paths across the Niederwald forest. The viewing platform at the base of the statue offers wide views over the Rhine valley, and the route passes through wooded slopes with rest areas.
During the inauguration ceremony in September 1883, an anarchist named August Reinsdorf attempted to blow up the monument with dynamite, but the fuse failed. The figure of Germania alone weighs approximately 32 tons, and its production required several years of work in the Dresden foundry.
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