Searching for That Perfect Postcard View in Bonn

Hello friends. When I was in Germany, I also wanted to solve a question that had been on my mind since childhood. We all know that for a time, Berlin was not the capital of Germany. When you think of London, you picture Big Ben. Paris brings the Arc de Triomphe to mind. Rome, the Colosseum. But when it came to Bonn, the former capital of Germany, nothing particular ever came to my mind. So I decided to come here and see for myself what this city's famous postcard view might be, if it has one. Clearly, Bonn must have its unique charm. After all, it is the birthplace of the great Beethoven. Honestly, that alone is a good enough reason to visit.

I started my tour at Münsterplatz, the city’s historic main square, home to the Beethoven Monument. My first candidate for a postcard-worthy scene was Bonn Cathedral. It is one of the oldest cathedrals in Germany, built in the eleventh century. Naturally it was constructed in Romanesque style, a style you do not often see in Germany, at least in my experience. It is quite impressive. Still, as always, scaffolding and ongoing restoration works are present. I think Germany deserves a whole separate post just about buildings under restoration.

The cathedral was built on the site where two Roman soldiers were executed after refusing to renounce Christianity. They are known as Cassius and Florentius and are considered Bonn’s patron saints. Their remains are kept in a special shrine in the crypt. But the part that impressed me most was the Byzantine-style altar decorated with mosaics, which you can actually get a close look at. There is also another mosaic at the entrance featuring the Vatican coat of arms. That is because this cathedral holds the rare status of basilica minor, a title given to only about 1400 churches worldwide, with 500 of them in Italy. Spotting one in Germany is pure luck.

Another contender is the Star Gate, the only surviving gate from the old city walls. It dates back to the thirteenth century. Though, surviving might not be the right word since it was demolished in the late nineteenth century to ease city traffic. They rebuilt it later on, thinking its absence harmed the city's image. So what we see today is actually a replica from the early twentieth century, with only a few original stones used. Not the strongest postcard candidate.

The university building is nice but not special enough for a postcard. It is called the Princes University because Hohenzollern princes once studied here. Catholics and Protestants studied together, which was quite remarkable for the time. The garden is lovely, but that student canteen. They placed it right in the middle of the garden, facing the university’s main facade, which I think is a complete disaster. Some travelers praise it as the legendary cafeteria, but I cannot say I am a fan. I care about architecture, design and gastronomy on this blog and this place is the exact opposite of all three.

Perhaps the Old Town Hall, built in baroque style, could qualify. But there are many similar town halls across Germany. Still, it has a charming clock tower topped with a crowned coat of arms. The crown on the cathedral’s dome, by the way, commemorates two German kings who were crowned there.

You might even stumble upon a fast food festival in its square, which is not uncommon in Germany.

Curious as always, I also visited Beethoven’s birthplace. Honestly, I was not that impressed. They say it holds the largest personal Beethoven collection. The facade is charming, the inner courtyard is cute, but the exhibition itself was not too exciting. The only thing I truly enjoyed was a temporary display of caricatures and cartoon depictions of Beethoven. That was actually fun.

If you are keen on diving deep into every artifact’s story, by all means, visit. But even the building’s facade is not really postcard material. Maybe the Old Town Hall or the Post Office would fit better.

Now, the river. A bridge or river view could make a great postcard, but the bridge is rather plain. The river, though, is truly stunning. The Rhine, one of Germany's most important rivers, runs through many major cities like Düsseldorf, flowing south to north. And the best German vineyards are along its banks. Nearby, there is the Ahr region, small but famous for its Pinot Noir.

I also stopped by the opera house. Built in the 1960s, not bad but hardly inspiring. Its exterior actually reminded me of the old Berlin Tegel Airport. That airport was an architectural gem, but it is gone now.

What about the Rhine promenade? It is pleasant for a walk, but unlike Düsseldorf, there is no city beach here.

Finally, I visited the Old Customs House, a former defensive structure once armed with cannons, where passing ships were taxed.

Speaking of bridges, they offer nice views, but those love locks? Sometimes they get dangerous as railings become too heavy and collapse. It even happened in Paris.

Bonn is not only about Beethoven. You can also visit the house-museum of the German writer Ernst Moritz Arndt, which I just learned about myself. The garden is lovely, full of flowers, but it was closed today as it is Monday. There is also the so-called Museum Mile with several impressive museums, but I could not make it there either.

Bonn served as the capital for only about forty years. Germany’s first president delivered his speech at the Old Town Hall. Over the years, leaders like Queen Elizabeth II, Gorbachev and Obama have visited.

I think it should remain a regional city. It is not particularly attractive as a tourist destination, more of a great place to live. It reminded me of Leiria in Portugal. I even wrote a post about that city. Bonn is part of the densely populated North Rhine-Westphalia region. It is small, comfortable, youthful, a student city. And that is a good thing.

An ideal place to live, but should it be a top travel destination? I do not think so. Still, it ranks among Germany’s top ten most livable cities in some quality-of-life indexes. It is green, walkable and has pleasant promenades.

I enjoyed it. Hope you enjoyed this little tour too. Whether you decide to visit is up to you. But let Berlin be the capital. I really love that city and will definitely go back there. See you.