Bernkastel on the Mosel

Bernkastel is well known for its outstanding wine growing area, the "Doctor Weinberg". Indeed, beginning in the middle ages, the wine business and river cruising along the Mosel (meaning the taxes) helped produce the city's notable wealth. Witness to this today is the city square with its half-timbered buildings some reaching a height of five stories, as well as the city hall and the Michael fountain from the time of the renaissance (1606).

On the other side of the Mosel and connected by a bridge, lies Kues, a wine village, incorporated into Bernkastel 100 years ago. In the year 1401, Nikolaus von Kues (Nicolaus Cusanus) was born here. He was a church dignitary, universal scholar and philosopher who rose to the position of Cardinal and whose theoretical writings signaled the end of medieval thinking. His works range from mathematical problems such as quadrature (squaring) of circles, to the universal concept of a world religion in which every religion would unite around a common basis.

Very much worth a visit is the St. Nikolaus hospital that Nikolaus von Kues donated and to which he left his important library. This has been kept unchanged up to today.