castle
Schloss Drachenburg
A flamboyant 19th-century villa-castle on the Drachenfels above the Rhine, reached by Germany's oldest cogwheel railway.
11 km · about 20 min drive
North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany · Europe
Bonn works well as a base: 10 minutes from Bonn Hardtberg, 38km from Laacher See.
Bonn is a city located in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With a population of 330,579, it is an important destination in Europe.
On a road trip, Bonn sits in Germany, where you drive on the right. It's in the Europe/Berlin time zone. Below you'll find where to stay, things to do nearby, and everything you need to add Bonn to your route.
Bonn (German pronunciation: [bɔn] ), officially the Federal City of Bonn (German: Bundesstadt Bonn), is a federal city in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, located on the banks of the Rhine. With a population exceeding 300,000, it lies about 24 km (15 mi) south-southeast of Cologne, in the southernmost partRead more
of the Rhine-Ruhr region.
Bonn served as the capital of West Germany from 1949 until 1990 and was the seat of government for reunified Germany until 1999, when the government relocated to Berlin. The city holds historical significance as the birthplace of Germany's current constitution, the Basic Law.
Founded in the 1st century BC as a settlement of the Ubii and later part of the Roman province Germania Inferior, Bonn is among Germany's oldest cities. It was the capital city of the Electorate of Cologne from 1597 to 1794 and served as the residence of the Archbishops and Prince-electors of Cologne. The period during which Bonn was the capital of West Germany is often referred to by historians as the Bonn Republic.
Following the German reunification, a political compromise known as the Berlin-Bonn Act ensured that the German federal government retained a significant presence in Bonn. As of 2019, approximately one-third of all ministerial jobs remain in the city. Bonn is considered an unofficial secondary capital of Germany and is the location of the secondary seats of the president, the chancellor, and the Bundesrat. Bonn is also the location of the primary seats of six federal ministries and twenty federal authorities. The city's title as Federal City (German: Bundesstadt) underscores its political importance.
The global headquarters of Deutsche Post DHL and Deutsche Telekom, both DAX-listed corporations, are in Bonn. The city is home to the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn university, and a total of 20 United Nations institutions, the highest number in all of Germany. These institutions include the headquarters for Secretariat of the UN Framework Convention Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Secretariat of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), and the UN Volunteers programme. Birthplace of composer Ludwig van Beethoven, a center of Rhenish carnival, and its geography by the Middle Rhine make it an important tourist destination. In Bonn the Bönnsch Platt, a dialect of the Ripuarian language is spoken by all generations, especially during carnival.
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Bonn offers many attractions including tourist sites, museums, parks, and local restaurants. Explore famous landmarks, scenic roads, and natural wonders on our interactive map and plan your visit.
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Bonn is located in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Europe. The coordinates are 50.7344 latitude, 7.0955 longitude.
Bonn has a population of approximately 330,579 people, making it a city in Germany.
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Essential numbers in Germany
ADAC roadside assistance: +49 89 22 22 22. No general speed limit on some autobahn sections but advisory 130 km/h.
Full driving guide for Germany8 notable places within an hour's drive.
castle
A flamboyant 19th-century villa-castle on the Drachenfels above the Rhine, reached by Germany's oldest cogwheel railway.
11 km · about 20 min drive
scenic viewpoint
A dragon-legend hilltop ruin in the Siebengebirge offers Rhine panoramas that inspired Byron and generations of romantics.
11 km · about 20 min drive
landmark
Award-winning German theme park near Cologne known for incredibly detailed theming and innovative ride experiences.
17 km · about 20 min drive
cathedral
This twin-spired Gothic giant towers over the Rhine, its 533 steps rewarding climbers with a sweeping city panorama.
25 km · about 30 min drive
natural wonder
A tranquil circular lake filling a dormant volcanic caldera in the Vulkaneifel, with gas bubbles still rising at its shore.
38 km · about 45 min drive
landmark
A serene six-towered Romanesque Benedictine abbey sits beside a volcanic crater lake in the Eifel's Vulkaneifel.
39 km · about 45 min drive
cafe
The cafe overlooking the famous Nurburgring Nordschleife, where motorsport fans watch cars tackle the Green Hell while enjoying coffee and bratwurst.
46 km · about 55 min drive
cafe
A legendary trackside bar and cafe at the Nurburgring where racers and enthusiasts have gathered for decades to swap stories from the Nordschleife.
46 km · about 55 min drive
April to October
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