Rhineland-Palatinate
Capital: Mainz
Area: 19,849km2
Population 4.0 million
Rhineland-Palatinate is one of the 16 states of Germany. It has an area of 19,846 square kilometres (7,663 sq mi) and about four million inhabitants. The capital is Mainz. English speakers also commonly refer to the state by its German name, Rheinland-Pfalz

Situated in western Germany, Rhineland-Palatinate borders (from the north and clockwise) North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse, Baden-Württemberg, France, Saarland, Luxembourg and Belgium.

The largest river in the state is the Rhine, which forms the border with Baden-Württemberg and Hesse in the southeast before flowing through the northern part of Rhineland-Palatinate. The Rhine Valley is bounded by mountain chains and forms a fascinating landscape containing some of the most historically significant places in Germany.

The Eifel and Hunsrück mountain chains are found on the west bank of the Rhine in northern Rhineland-Palatinate, while the Westerwald and Taunus mountains are found on the east bank. The hilly lands in the southernmost region of the state are covered by the Palatinate forest and the Palatinate.

These mountain chains are separated from each other by several tributaries of the Rhine: the Mosel, the Lahn and the Nahe.

The modern federal-state consists of a conglomeration of the historic regions of southern Rheinland Province, Rheinhessen and the Palatinate.

The vineyards, old castles, Roman relics draw visitors to this beautiful landscape. Picturesque is the Moselle Valley between Trier and Koblenz, where one finds the Moselle River joining the “father Rhine,” as Germanic people call it. Many romantic castles surrounded by beautiful vineyards are prevalent on the hills over-looking the Rhine River. The famous Wine Road promises visitors to be one of the favorite regions of Germany.
Mainz, the capital of this region, has Roman artifacts give proof that great architects, sculptors and painters of the 17th century shaped this city. The gorgeous St. Martin Cathedral, over 1000 years old, dominates the entire view of this old city. The museum can be toured which honors the memory of Johannes Gutenberg, who invented the printing press. Strolling through the whole town, one finds picturesque plazas, cozy wine pubs and restaurants with wonderful ambiance. Sightseeing tours are available and a great way to get bird’s eye view of Mainz to enjoy all its splendor.

Mainz, the capital of this region, has Roman artifacts give proof that great architects, sculptors and painters of the 17th century shaped this city. The gorgeous St. Martin Cathedral, over 1000 years old, dominates the entire view of this old city. The museum can be toured which honors the memory of Johannes Gutenberg, who invented the printing press. Strolling through the whole town, one finds picturesque plazas, cozy wine pubs and restaurants with wonderful ambiance. Sightseeing tours are available and a great way to get bird’s eye view of Mainz to enjoy all its splendor.



Trier is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle River. It is the oldest city
 in Germany, founded in or before 16 BC. Trier lies in a valley between
low vine-covered hills of ruddy sandstone in the west of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, near the German border with Luxembourg and within the important Mosel wine-growing region.

Trier is the oldest seat of a Christian bishop north of the Alps. In the Middle Ages, the Archbishop of Trier was an important ecclesiastical prince, as the Archbishopric of Trier controlled land from the French border to the Rhine. He was also one of the seven electors of the Holy Roman Empire.

With an approximate population of 100,000 Trier was, until 2005, ranked fourth alongside Kaiserslautern among the state's largest cities; after Mainz, Ludwigshafen and Koblenz[citation needed]. The nearest large cities in Germany are Saarbrücken, some 80 km southeast, and Koblenz, about 100 km northeast. The closest city to Trier is the capital of Luxembourg, some 50 km to the southwest.

Koblenz (also Coblenz in pre-1926 German spellings; French Coblence) is a city situated on both banks of the Rhine at its confluence with the Moselle, where the Deutsches Eck (German Corner) and its monument (Emperor William I on horseback) are situated.

As Koblenz was one of the military posts established by Drusus about 8 BC, the town celebrated its 2000th anniversary in 1992.

The name Koblenz is from Latin (ad) confluentes, confluence or "(at the) merging of rivers". Subsequently it was Covelenz and Cobelenz. In the local dialect the name is Kowelenz.

After Mainz and Ludwigshafen am Rhein, it is the third largest city in Rhineland-Palatinate, with a population of c. 106,000 (2006). Koblenz lies in the Rhineland, 92 kilometers (57 miles) southeast of Cologne by rail.