It is the time for lovely walks around the harbour, a cool beer in the boathouse, a small glass of wine at the local vintners’ wine-tasting stand or the most delicious ice-cream in the city.
The benches along the harbor bay invite you to sit down, rest your eyes, and enjoy the maritime side of Wiesbaden. The Schiersteiner Hafenfest (Schierstein Harbour Festival) is the highlight of the summer. Travelling salesmen, carousels, candy floss and plenty of joie de vivre then dominate life in the harbour traditionally for 4 days on the 2nd weekend in July. But there is a link to watersports here too as always in Schierstein. The Schierstein Dragonboat Regatta, which is well worth seeing, and the legendary river swimming take place during the festival.
History of the harbour
The Schierstein Rhine port was built in 1859. In almost 144 years of its history, the Schierstein port played a changing role.
Schierstein's fishermen experienced a new heyday as a result of the harbor construction. Fish restaurants opened around the harbor, of which only the "Rheinhalle" still exists today. The completion of the harbor marked the beginning of a golden age for raftsmen in Schierstein. For the narrow wooden rafts from the Main and Neckar rivers could be assembled into larger structures under the protection of the new harbor. From here, they traveled further north to Holland.
Beginning in 1958, the harbor was the site of Engineer Battalion 706 of the German Army's River Company. After the US Navy Rhine River Patrol had its base there for thirteen years.
As an industrial port, Schierstein Harbor lost its importance after World War II. In 1961, the Osthafen was built on the Bismarcks-Aue as a new industrial transshipment point.
The Schierstein Riviera.
From the waterfront promenade of the old Schierstein harbor, one looks today at yachts and pleasure boats instead of barges. This gives a Mediterranean impression when strolling along the harbor, which led to the popularly used term the "Schierstein Riviera". Since 1967, the harbor entrance has been spanned by the Dyckerhoff Bridge.
On nice days, the harbor basin is a paradise for sailors and windsurfers.