A river that combines geological, historical, cultural and industrial values - Upper Middle Rhine Valley 1066; Blaudruck/Modrotisk/Kékfestés/Modrotlač, resist block printing and indigo dyeing in Europe 01365
What and Why
The Upper Middle Rhine Valley (German: Oberes Mittelrheintal) is a 65-km section of the Rhine (Rhein) that runs from Koblenz in the north to Bingen in the south. While clearly this is very picturesque section of the Rhine, this section of the river is an important trade route between Northern Europe to Central Europe. Moreover the river gorge is of particular importance geologically and agriculturally. The region's rocks are fossil-bearing sedimentary rock type consisting mainly of slate. The rocks underwent considerable folding during the carboniferous period. The gorge was then carved out during a much more recent uplift to create a narrow and steep walls of 200 m high, the most famous feature being the Lorelei. As a result, the gorge creates its own microclimate and its slopes have long been terraced for agriculture, in particular viticulture which has good conditions on south-facing slopes.
Clearly there are a number of other cities along the Rhine where the same cultural feel is offered, but surprisingly Sankt Goar is at the heart of it.
Toponymy
Rhine derives from its Gaulish name Rēnos, which is derived from its Proto-Indo-European root *rei- meaning to flow or move.
Sankt Goar's name by which the town goes today is from Goar (Latin: Goaris) of Aquitaine, who came to live on the site where the town now stands during the early 6th century CE. Goar came and worked as a missionary to the local people. He was well known for his great hospitality, particularly towards the Rhine boatmen.
See
Rheinfels Castle (Burg Rheinfels)
Rheinfels Castle (Burg Rheinfels) is a castle ruin located above the west bank of the gorge. The castle was started in the mid-13th century CE and after several expansions, it was the largest fortress in the Rhine gorge and historically covered five times its current area. Unfortunately the current state of the castle is quite derelict. From the castle, which is up in the hill, one can get a great view of the gorge.
Sankt Goar
An uninteresting town where we stopped, but it definitely oozes and brims with heritage, and some small museums and shops.
Rhine Castle Way (Rheinburgenweg)
The Rhine Castle Way (Rheinburgenweg) is a very famous hiking trail on the western bank and runs mainly on elevated trails providing along the way excellent views gorge.
Lorelei (Loreley)
Just opposite to Sankt Goar, and technically at Sankt Goarshuasen along the eastern bank, one can easily notice the big mount / rock called Lorelei (Loreley). The name comes from the old German word lureln for 'murmuring', and the Celtic term ley meaning rock. The name hence suggests a murmuring rock due to the sound of the waterfalls and river currents, amplified by the echoes from local topographies.
The later folklores of Lorelei are all fictitious: In the early 19th century CE Clemens Brentano composed his ballad Zu Bacharach am Rheine and the story was about an enchanting female associated with the rock. In the story, the beautiful Lorelei, betrayed by her sweetheart, is accused of bewitching men. She is then sent to a nunnery for remorse and on the way she comes to the rock and falls to her death after being absorbed by the beauty of the Rhine. Later Heinrich Heine adapted Brentano's theme in his poem, Die Lorelei. It describes the same female as a sort of siren who sits on the cliff above the Rhine and unwittingly distracts shipmen along the river with her beauty and song, causing them to crash on the rocks. We fans of cantopop probably picked it up through the famed Alan Tam's (Cantonese: 譚詠麟, Tam Wing Lun) song, although the lyrics has nothing to do with the poem, the ballad nor the rock.
Buy and Do
Boatride (Bootsfahrt)
One of the best way to enjoy the gorge is to take a hop-and-ride boat ride along the river. The boat ride can take you all the way to Cologne (Köln) to the north and Mainz in the south with overnight rides! As in the map here, a day-trip return is only EUR 6€. We regretted we ran out of time.
Blueprint (Blaudruck)
Along the river one can easily notice a number of shops selling a blue-dyed fabric or clothing and advertising it as a traditional apparel. This reminds me of the aizome (Japanese: 藍染め) blogged in Tomioka (富岡). Turns out this particular blue fabric has a long history, much longer than one imagines. This is called the blueprint (Blaudruck).
With over 6,000 years of history, the colour indigo is extracted from the namesake plant and indigo extraction and dyeing are amongst the earliest cultural biotechnological processes in practice. Indigo distinctive blue has always fascinated and inspired artists and artisans from all over the world, east and west, and especially in Central Europe. So much so that this dyeing process is now enlisted as an ICH. Today, there are only a few authentic blueprint workshops left, mainly as family businesses run by the second to seventh generations. They still use wooden blocks that are up to 300 years old and pass on their knowledge through observation and hands-on practices.
The dyeing process involves the use of a block to create patterns on textile materials. This process is called resist dyeing as the dye is 'resisted' to reaching all over the fabric, This technique has developed a distinctive aesthetic appearance in the region, and is now a recognised signature of Central Europe, a total slap on my face when I knew nothing about it when I saw it.
Eat and Drink
Sausage (Wurst)
When we were in Germany, clearly we ate a lot of sausages (Bratwurst). When we asked the locals what are their favourite snack food or sausage, to our surprise many said Currywurst, which is no more than sausages cut into bite-sized chunks and seasoned with curry ketchup (Currygewürzketchup), another incredible German invention. We had this serving in Ebert's Suppenstube at Frankfurt, which is an hour away from Sankt Goar.
Getting There and Around
As above take the boat. This also completes our 14-day road trip in Central Europe.
UNESCO Inscriptions
The 65km-stretch of the Middle Rhine Valley, with its castles, historic towns and vineyards, graphically illustrates the long history of human involvement with a dramatic and varied natural landscape. It is intimately associated with history and legend and for centuries has exercised a powerful influence on writers, artists and composers.
Blaudruck/Modrotisk/Kékfestés/Modrotlač, which translates directly as blueprint or blue-dyeing, refers to the practice of printing a dye-resistant paste onto a cloth before dyeing over it with indigo dye. The resistant paste prevents the dye from penetrating the design, thereby ensuring the applied design remains white or undyed after the dyeing process. To apply the designs onto the cloth, practitioners use hand-crafted blocks that are up to 300 years old, featuring regionally-inspired patterns as well as generic designs or Christian motifs. The representation of local flora and fauna is interrelated with the local culture of the regions. Traditional indigo blue-dyeing does not end with printing, however: the textile chain involves preparing the raw materials and spinning, weaving, finishing, printing and dyeing them. Nowadays, businesses engaged in the practice mainly comprise small, family-owned workshops, run by the second to seventh generation of printers. Each family workshop involves the cooperation of the various family members, who each participate in every step of the production regardless of their gender. Traditional knowledge is still based on (mainly family-owned) journals dating back to the nineteenth century and passed on through observation and hands-on practice. Stakeholders feel a strong emotional bond with their products, and the element encapsulates a sense of pride in long-lasting family traditions.
References
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