Drachenfels in Königswinter Dangerous situation at the Drachenfels ruins
Königswinter · The stability of the Drachenfels (Dragon rock) below the tower is no longer guaranteed. District authorities from Cologne made the announcement on Wednesday evening, referring to measurements taken by the geological service. “Measures for acute threat prevention” were deemed necessary.
The stability of the Drachenfels below the tower can no longer be guaranteed and the district government said it would hold a press conference on Thursday to release more information on the situation. It is currently assumed that the top part of the Drachenfels, which is the base for the ruins, is the part that is affected. This part of the Drachenfels belongs to the state, not to the city of Königswinter.
It would not be the first time that roads or entire areas had to be closed in the Siebengebirge because the stability of the mountains, which were partly eroded by former quarries, was no longer guaranteed. Among the most prominent examples are the Eselsweg directly at the Drachenfels and the Siegfriedfelsen above the vineyards in Rhöndorf. In both cases, heavy rock fragments had loosened and were thrown down on roads below.
At first in Rhöndorf, it was only the pathways that were closed off and then the vineyards - posing a major hardship for winemakers. Then a fence had to be erected. The donkey route could only be reinstated after extensive security measures had been taken. The measures carried a total cost of two million euros.
(Orig. text: Katrin Janssen)
