The Niederwald Monument stands on a forested ridge 200 metres above Rüdesheim and dominates the Rhine valley for miles in both directions. The central figure is Germania, a 10-metre bronze personification of the newly united German Empire, holding up the imperial crown with one arm extended. Below her are reliefs of Kaiser Wilhelm I, Bismarck, and the German armies returning from France.
The monument is reached most easily by cable car (Seilbahn) from the centre of Rüdesheim — a ten-minute ride over the vineyards with excellent views of the river and the opposite bank. From the monument itself, the panorama takes in the beginning of the Rhine Gorge to the north, the Nahe estuary at Bingen, and on clear days the skyline of the Rheingau stretching eastward. A chair lift from the monument descends to Assmannshausen, where you can take the train back to Rüdesheim. The monument grounds are open all day; the cable car runs seasonally from April to October.