I f you ever find yourself in northern Switzerland near the German border, you may want to consider taking a side trip to Rhine Falls — or Rheinfall, as it is known in German — located in its namesake, the Rhine River.
You can view the falls from either a viewing platform on the northern banks of the falls free of charge or from a viewing platform on the Schloss Laufen side of the falls for a fee of five Swiss francs per person — or you can choose to take a boat ride closer to the falls. You can even rent a canoe for 70 Swiss francs.
Here are some facts and figures pertaining to Rhine Falls:
- Width of the Falls 150 meters
- Height of the Falls 23 meters
- Depth of the basin 13 meters
- Age of the Falls approximately 15,000 years
- Capacity of flow in summer approximately 600,000 liters per second
- Capacity of flow in winter approximately 250,000 liters per second
- Lowest capacity of flow 95,000 liters per second in 1921
- Greatest capacity of flow 1,250,000 liters per second in 1965
Parking at the falls is available for a fee of six Swiss francs for two hours.
The Rhine Falls are easily accessible by public transportation, car, boat or bicycle.
A FlyerTalk member with whom I have been friends for years brought me there in his car with a colleague of his. Although I have been to other falls such as Iguazu Falls — which I intend to highlight in a future photographic trip report — and Niagara Falls, I found historic Rhine Falls to be peaceful and calming with some nice scenery.
All photographs ©2009 by Brian Cohen.
