The Geysir of Andernach

In the morning we set off from Essen and drove south, first on the highway and then along the banks of the Rhine.

After about two hours of driving, we reached Andernach, a city over 2000 years old located right by the Rhine.

The town has a museum where we learned about geysers, rock layers, and volcanism.

Right in front of the museum, we boarded a ship that took us a short distance across the Rhine to the landing stage of the nature reserve Namedyer Werth.

On the peninsula lies the highest cold-water geyser in the world.

It was created by drilling a well in 2001 and erupts approximately every two hours.

In the well, carbon dioxide accumulates in the groundwater, which rises from magma deposits deep underground. It forms gas bubbles that eventually displace the water and lead to the eruption of the geyser.

During an eruption, the water can shoot up to a height of 60 meters.

After the ship took us back to Andernach, we explored the old town on foot.

There was a large market square and several old city towers to see.

Only ruins remain of the former castle of Andernach.

Directly by the Rhine, there is a bulwark from which one can overview the section of the river that flows in front of the city.

When we were there, the rain became increasingly heavy, so visibility was somewhat limited, prompting us to head back to the nearby parking spot.