The Rhine Falls (also known as the Schaffhausen Falls), with a height of 23 meters and a width of 150 meters, are the largest in Central Europe.
They are located on the top of the Rhine River in Neuhausen am Rheinfall, a short distance from the city of Schaffhausen in northern Switzerland, near the German border.
Although they were first mentioned in a historical document from 1290, their formation is much older.
About 15,000 years ago, during the last ice age, the course of the Rhine was diverted into a new river bed, creating a waterfall on the border between the hard limestone layer and the softer gravel below.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, they inspired numerous artists and writers, including Johann Wolfgang von Goethe who was deeply impressed by their majesty and described them in his writings.
Over the centuries, the falls have been used for a variety of purposes, from hydropower to fishing, to becoming one of Switzerland’s top tourist attractions.
In 1966, the Rhine Falls was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, confirming their inestimable natural and cultural value.
