Mouse Tower, Medieval toll tower on Rhine island in Bingen am Rhein, Germany.
The Mouse Tower is a stone tower standing on a small island in the Rhine near Bingen, built in neo-Gothic style with several levels and viewing points. The structure rises from the water and forms a landmark visible from long distances along the shipping route.
The tower was built in the thirteenth century as a customs post for shipping traffic on the Rhine. In the nineteenth century the structure received its current neo-Gothic appearance through extensive reconstruction.
The structure carries a name rooted in the act of watching and waiting along the river route. Legend links the site to Archbishop Hatto the Second, whose story became part of local folklore about divine punishment and justice.
The tower is not open to the public and can only be viewed from outside. Observation points along the Rhine banks in Bingen offer good views of the structure, especially during boat trips on the river.
The nineteenth-century redesign was directed by Prussian architect Zwirner, who also worked on Cologne Cathedral. Today the tower serves as a navigational aid for ships on the Rhine.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
