Attraction · Bornich · Updated on 1 November 2026.

Lorelei in Bornich

Lorelei is an attraction in Bornich, Rhineland-Palatinate. This place has an audio tour of about 2 minutes, in English or Dutch. 2 of the 42 well-known points of interest nearby are within 1 km. Within 940 m you'll find a public toilet, a bench and a water point.

Directions in Google Maps

The story

Wikipedia ↗

Audio tour · Lorelei

1:36

You're standing at the Lorelei, the steep slate rock rising a hundred and thirty-two metres above the right bank of the Rhine, near Sankt Goarshausen. Look at the river. Here the Rhine makes a sharp bend and is at its narrowest, but also very deep. The current is strong, and for centuries ships ran aground here. The most dangerous rocks in the water were removed in the 1930s, but skippers are still warned. In 2011 a barge carrying sulphuric acid capsized here.

Read and hear the whole story in the Outdoor Pitstop app: check in at this place and it is yours (with Pro; new users are Pro for the first 4 weeks).

Opening hours and admission

Wheelchair: Partly accessible

Source: OpenStreetMap and Wikidata.

Photos

10 photos from Wikimedia Commons. In the app you add your own photo when you are there.

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Photo: Jörg Braukmann · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0View the photo on Wikimedia Commons

Lorelei in Bornich: a steep rock on the Rhine

The Lorelei is a steep rock 132 metres high on the Rhine. It is known for a legend about a beautiful woman who sits on top of the rock, combs her golden hair and sings. Boatmen look up at her and then steer onto the rocks. The writer Heinrich Heine turned the legend into a poem, which became a song that almost everyone knows. Near the rock, the Rhine makes a sharp bend with a strong current. You will find this attraction, the Lorelei in Bornich, close to Sankt Goarshausen. The Sommerrodelbahn Loreley-Bob, a summer toboggan run, is 527 metres away.

The legends and stories of the Loreley

The name Loreley probably means something like "murmuring rock". Long ago, the water and a small waterfall made a rushing sound here, and the rock echoed it back, almost like an amplifier. Only a faint trace of that sound remains today. For centuries, ships ran aground on the rocks in the water, and those accidents, together with the echo, gave rise to stories. At first, people told of dwarfs who lived in caves inside the rock. The tale of the beautiful woman is much newer: it comes from 1801, from the writer Clemens Brentano. Heinrich Heine later turned it into a famous poem, and it is not an old saga, although many people believe it is. The most dangerous rocks were removed from the water decades ago, but accidents still happen. In 2011, a ship carrying sulphuric acid capsized here.

Toilets, drinking water and benches nearby

Public toilets are close by at Lorelei in Bornich. The nearest one is 91 metres away, in the Kultur- und Landschaftspark Loreley, and you can use it for free. There are 5 public toilets within 500 metres. Benches are also plentiful around Lorelei in Bornich. The closest one is 138 metres away, also in the park, and there are 20 benches within 500 metres. Drinking water is harder to find. There is no water tap within 500 metres. The nearest is 935 metres away, at the Abraham-Brunnen, where you can fill a bottle. Bring enough water with you before you walk up to the rock.

Walking and more to see nearby

After your visit to the rock, you can keep walking to Katz Castle. The castle is 1,463 metres away. It makes a good goal for a short walk, and you can enjoy the view on the way. You can also listen to an audio story about the Loreley on site. It lasts 2 minutes and you can find it in the Outdoor Pitstop app, so you know what you are looking at while you take in the surroundings.

Facilities near Lorelei

The nearest pitstop of each kind within 1 km, as the crow flies. No bike pump or honesty box within 1 km.

Well-known points of interest nearby

42 well-known points of interest nearby, those with an audio tour first. 2 of the 42 well-known points of interest nearby are within 1 km.

CastleAudio story · 2 min

Burg Stahleck · 9.4 km

CastleStory

Rheinfels Castle · 2.4 km

Photo: Wikimedia Commons · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0View the photo on Wikimedia Commons

AttractionStory

Pfalzgrafenstein Castle · 6.8 km

Photo: Jörg Braukmann · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0View the photo on Wikimedia Commons

CastleStory

Katz Castle · 1.5 km

Photo: Johannes Robalotoff · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 deView the photo on Wikimedia Commons

CastleStory

Maus Castle · 4.3 km

Photo: Wikimedia Commons · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0View the photo on Wikimedia Commons

Hear the story of Burg Stahleck on the spot with the app

All 1,192 points of interest in Rhineland-Palatinate →

Walks within 2 km

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Cycle routes within 5 km

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Frequently asked questions

Where is the Lorelei in Bornich statue?

The statue of the nymph stands at the foot of the rock. At the top of the rock is a viewpoint overlooking the valley.

What is the legend of the Lorelei in Bornich?

According to the legend, a beautiful woman with golden hair combs her hair on top of the rock and sings, distracting boatmen so they sail onto the rocks. The story comes from the writer Clemens Brentano in 1801, and Heinrich Heine later made a famous poem from it.

Where is the Lorelei in Bornich?

The Lorelei is near Bornich, on the right bank at Sankt Goarshausen. It is a steep slate rock 132 metres high.

Where is a toilet near the Lorelei in Bornich?

The nearest public toilet is 91 metres away, at Kultur- und Landschaftspark Loreley, and it is free. There are 5 public toilets in total within 500 metres.

Where can I find drinking water near the Lorelei in Bornich?

The nearest water tap is Abraham-Brunnen, 935 metres away, where you can fill a bottle. There is no water tap within 500 metres of the Lorelei.

Are there benches at the Lorelei in Bornich?

Yes, the nearest bench is 138 metres away, at Kultur- und Landschaftspark Loreley. There are 20 benches within 500 metres.