at least as
to their lower ranges, are undoubtedly of the eleventh century.

In this church are a series of remarkable decorations, one on the wall
above the spring of the nave arches, another above the entrance of the
choir aisle, and yet another in the semicircular roofing of the apse.
It may be a question as to how far such decorations are in really good
taste, but they certainly lend a warmth and brilliancy to an edifice
that might otherwise be cold and unfeeling.

Many are the historic incidents connected with this venerable building.
The notification of the sons of Louis the Pious took place in 870; the
reconciliation of Henri IV. of Germany with his sons occurred in 1105;
St. Bernard preached the Crusades here before a vast congregation,
recruiting for the army for the East over one thousand citizens of
Coblenz alone.

Near the church of St. Castor is the house of the Teutonic Order, of
fine Gothic design, but to-day turned into a military magazine.

On a hill overlooking the city was the famous Chartreuse convent, the
ruins of which are now swallowed up by Forts Constantine and Alexander.

The bridge which crosses the Moselle at this point is in itself a
wonderful old relic. It spans the river on fourteen arches, and dates
from 1344, save that its watch-tower was built at a later day.

The bridge of boats which crosses the Rhine, on thirty-six pontoons,
partakes of the same characteristics as its brother at Mayence,
though by no means is it so celebrated.

[Illustration: COBLENZ _and Its BRIDGE_]

Above Coblenz the Rhine narrows considerably, and the mountains and
hilltops draw in until one's progress, by water, is almost as if it were
through a canon.

Niederlahnstein has a fine ruined church in St. John's, whence it is but
a short distance to Boppart.

_Boppart_

Boppart was the ancient _Bandobriga_ of the Romans, and, like many
another place along the Rhine, is closely linked with the memory of
Drusus.

Boppart was made an imperial city, and many Diets were held within its
walls.

The Hauptkirche, with its twin-jointed spires, was built about the year
1200.

It is thoroughly Romanesque, if we except the spires which are linked
together by a sort of galleried vestibule, after a manner that is
neither Romanesque nor anything else.

The inside galleries over the aisles (_maennerchoere_) are interesting,
though by no means a unique feature in Rhine churches.

There is a queer intermixture