Rhine
River
From the Swiss Alps to the North Sea: the busiest river in Europe.
The Rhine begins as melting snow high in the Swiss Alps and flows for about 1,230 kilometres to the North Sea. On the way it passes through or along six countries.
Nowhere in Europe do more cargo ships sail than here: they carry goods between the port of Rotterdam and the factories of Germany. Along the middle of the river dozens of castles look down from the hills.
- long
- 1,230 km
- countries
- 6
- castles on one stretch of 65 km
- 40
- 1
The river enters the Netherlands at Lobith and soon splits into branches, among them the Waal and the IJssel.
- 2
According to legend a mermaid called Lorelei sat on a rock above the river and sang sailors onto the rocks.
- 3
In the 1980s the river was so dirty that hardly a fish was left. It was cleaned up, and the salmon have come back.
Question 1 of 2
Where does the Rhine end?
- VaalserbergThe highest point of the Netherlands, where three countries meet.
- AtomiumAn iron crystal blown up 165 billion times, in Brussels.
- Windmills of KinderdijkNineteen windmills that kept the Dutch polders dry.
- Canals of AmsterdamRings of water around a city that was built on poles.
It is in Germany.
Read about Germany