There are many Rhine and Siebengebirge legends, some of which you will find here: traditional ones that have been told for many years, free versions of an old theme and also entirely new fairy tales.
You may already know The Monk of Heisterbach, or “A thousand years are like one day”. Another popular Siebengebirge legend, The Seven Giants explains how they came into being. Other traditional legends are Liba of Ölberg, Hedwig of Wolkenburg, The Malignant Dragon and The Maiden of Löwenburg. The Roland saga takes place in our region as well.
Dragons and dragon tales
The Siebengebirge is dragon country. Some legends describe dragons as eerie, malicious creatures who devour humans, blow up ships and generally rejoice in the misery of others. An old legend tells us about a Christian virgin who was to be sacrificed to a hideous dragon dwelling in a cave on Mount Drachenfels.
And then, of course, there is the legend of Siegfried, the dragon slayer. But these legends do the dragons unjust.
There is Brann from Mount Drachenfels. We meet her in the tales The Dragon Lady of Drachenfels and Christmas on the Drachenfels. Dragon Jupp at Mount Nonnenstromberg has three stories to tell: The Reclused of Nonnenstromberg, Necessity is the Mother of Invention and The Haunted House. At Mount Lohrberg, we meet dragon Bouffe-Bouffe: The Spook from the Basement and The Fiery Man of Lohrberg. Last but not least, there are The Earth Dragons.
Middle Ages
In the Siebengebirge, you can visit three medieval castles ruins in one day – Drachenfels Castle, Löwenburg Castle and Rosenau Castle. So, it is obvious that many legends take place in the Middle Ages. During the time of the crusades. Many knights left their families and friends to re-conquer Jerusalem, leaving their families and friends behind.
Hedwig of Wolkenburg, Liba of Ölberg, The Reclused on Nonnenstromberg, The Maiden of Löwenburg, The Maiden of Rosenau, Sir Mauzibauz, The Count of Geisberg, Christmas on the Drachenfels.
Somewhere in the Siebengebirge
Then there are various Siebengebirge legends that we cannot directly assign to a theme or that take place “somewhere in the Siebengebirge”. The Hermit on the Froschberg, The Treasure of Rosenau, The Dwarfs, How the Monastery of Heisterbach was founded.
Be the first to comment