I’ve heard much about Koblenz but I’ve not once set foot on it. I’m trying to shed off some jadedness that has grown on me as a new resolution to not treat another German town as another German town. Personally, I think Koblenz befits the description of a very typical German town . So what are some characteristics of a typical German town? To start it off, if there is a river running across the town, chances are that there will usually be an ancient castle (Schloss) or a fortress (Festung), either situated strategically atop a small hill, overlooking a valley, by the river or high up on a steep precipice.There will be certain corners or town squares in the middle of the town, where the locals will normally use them as a point of reference when describing a route to a foreigner. More often than not, you’ll find some, bronze-coloured, weather-beaten statues and monuments, erected strategically in these town squares which serve as the landmark or an unmistakable identity of the town.The castle or the fortress will no doubt be the main character of the town, a must-stop-by and must-see place of the town. Most of the time, you can find a carefully drawn or wonderfully built, layout of the castle/fortress’s compound at the entrance. As a typical tourist, you’ll be more engrossed in trying to look for the best angle to take your photos, marveling at the amazing architecture, ooh-and-aahing at the wonderful view from atop the hill, instead of looking up the history of the castle, which you can certainly find everywhere on its compound. Deutsches Eck facing the confluence of Mosel and RhineBesides that, you’ll no doubt be delighted to find some unique townhouses, some probably built before WWII, nicely restored, leaving you thinking, wow, you can’t find houses like these in your home country.

So, you know what to look for when you plan your next visit to a German town . Oh, and don’t forget the church/cathedral .