Discover Prath – between mining history and upland scenery

Prath is an upland settlement nestled among meadows and forests above the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley. Mining history, St. Goar Church and hiking trails are among the themes that can help you decide where to go. If you are looking for a hotel for a stay in Prath, first consider what you would like to focus on: the town’s history, church art or time outdoors. The following points show how these interests come together in Prath.

Scenery and mining history

The landscape also provides the setting for the area’s mining history. Silver, lead and copper deposits were mined at the Sachsenhäuser Hütte from 1769 onward. Spoil heaps and the Sachsenhäuser Forest still recall the former mining operations. The Gute Hoffnung mine is also part of this history: lead and zinc ore were extracted there until 1961. The name Sassinhusin is recorded around 1250 for the Sachsenhäuser Hof area. Historical references thus range from the name recorded around 1250 to a mining operation that ended in 1961.

Prath’s small mineral and mining museum was founded by former mining specialist Helmut Kaspar. This private mining museum commemorates the extraction of lead and silver, which continued into the 1960s. Visits are possible by prior arrangement, including on weekends. Minerals and the history of mining thus complement the traces that spoil heaps and forest have left on the landscape.

St. Goar Church and its furnishings

St. Goar Church is dedicated to Saint Goar. Its interior was restored in Baroque style; the pulpit dates from 1760, and the marble structure of the high altar dates from the late 17th century. Its dedication, interior design and furnishings offer different starting points for exploring the church building. If you are interested in sacred architecture, you can consider the church a cultural highlight in its own right, alongside the mining heritage.

Hiking around Prath

There are several ways to explore the surrounding area on foot. Prath is close to the Rheinsteig, which continues from the Pulsbach Gorge area along the Rhine heights. From the Prath area, hikers can descend through the Pulsbach Gorge to the Rhine. A historical description gives the length of the Wellmich–Prath–Ehrental mining and landscape trail as more than five kilometres; its theme is the centuries-old mining industry on the Middle Rhine. Check the current condition of the trail before setting out on a specific hike. This will help you choose between a high-altitude route, a descent through the gorge and a trail focused on mining history.

Prath in the wider Rhein-Lahn travel region

In the wider Rhein-Lahn travel region, the district’s right-bank stretch from Kaub to Lahnstein lies in the Loreley Valley and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley. The World Heritage Site encompasses a 65-kilometre stretch between Bingen, Rüdesheim and Koblenz, with historic small towns, terraced vineyards and castle ruins. This regional perspective broadens the view beyond Prath; its elevated setting, mining history and church provide local points of interest for your trip.

Discover more destinations: Filsen, Kaub, Braubach, Dörscheid, Kestert, Kamp-Bornhofen, Sankt Goarshausen, Osterspai.

Go to the travel overview: Loreley.