River Rhine Attractions
The Rhine (Dutch Rijn; Celtic Renos, Latin Rhenus, German Rhein), 1,320km/820mi long from source to sea, is Europe's most important waterway and scenically its most attractive. It originates in the western Swiss canton of Grisons, where the Vorderrhein and Hinterrhein unite to form the Alpine Rhine. It then flows through Lake Constance, goes over the Rhine Falls at Schaffhausen and continues on its way to Basle as the High Rhine. At Basle it turns north and flows through the Upper Rhine plain. Between Mainz and Bingen it follows a westerly course and then bears northwest through the Rhenish Uplands. Within the territory of the Netherlands it divides into a number of separate arms, which finally flow into the North Sea.
The hydrographic pattern of the Rhine and the various arms which convey its water to the sea is highly complex, particularly since it is bound up with the course of the Maas and its various ramifications.
The hydrographic pattern of the Rhine and the various arms which convey its water to the sea is highly complex, particularly since it is bound up with the course of the Maas and its various ramifications.
Delta Plan of the Rhine
Under the Delta Plan, designed to protect 15,000 sq.km/5,800 sq.mi of land, the various mouths of the Rhine, the Maas and the Schelde, with the exception of the Nieuwe Waterweg and the Westerschelde, have been closed by dams. The tidal waters of the Oosterschelde are enclosed by a storm-surge barrier which is fully closed only in the event of a storm tide.
Old Rhine
Beyond Utrecht the Oude Rijn (Old Rhine) pursues a winding course by way of Alphen aan den Rijn, the old university town of Leiden and Katwijk aan den Rijn to the seaside resort of Katwijk aan Zee, where it flows into the North Sea.
Read More
