RHEIN RIVER Information

The River Rhein (Dutch: Rijn; French: Rhin; German: Rhein; Italian: Reno; Romansh: Rein) is one of the longest and most important rivers in Europe at 1,320 kilometres (820 miles), with an average discharge of more than 2,000 cubic meters per second. The name of the Rhein comes from the Celtic Renos, literally "that which flows", from the Proto-Indo-European root *rei- ("to flow, run").

The Rhein and the Danube formed most of the northern frontier of the Roman Empire, and since those days the Rhein has been a vital navigable waterway, carrying trade and goods deep inland. It has also served as a defensive feature, and been the basis for regional and international borders. The many castles and prehistoric fortifications along the Rhein testify to its importance as a waterway. River traffic could be stopped at these locations, usually for the purpose of collecting tolls, by the state controlling that portion of the river. Read More