Andernach

Andernach is a town on the left bank of the Rhine in Rhineland-Palatinate that stretches between the Nette River and the former fishing village of Fornich. Its old center preserves sections of the ancient town wall and medieval towers that stand along narrow streets and squares.

The Romans founded this place in 12 BC as a military camp on Celtic ground and called it Antunnacum. During the Middle Ages the settlement grew into an important trading center along the Rhine and received its town walls and defensive towers.

The name comes from Celtic roots and points to a pre-Christian settlement that once stood along this stretch of the Rhine. Visitors today can walk through the market streets and see how half-timbered houses and narrow lanes shape the character of the old center.

The train station sits centrally and links travelers through regional and long-distance trains to cities such as Cologne and Koblenz. The old town core is easy to explore on foot, and most points of interest lie just a few walking minutes apart.

A cold-water geyser nearby shoots up to 60 meters (197 feet) high at regular intervals and is considered the tallest of its kind on Earth. This natural phenomenon occurs when volcanic carbon dioxide rises through groundwater and forces its way to the surface.