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 (männerchöre) are interesting, though by no means a unique feature in Rhine churches.
There is a queer intermixture of pointed and round-headed arches in both the nave and[{192}] choir, but nothing to indicate that it was anything but a Romanesque influence that inspired the builders of this not very appealing church.
The vestibule which joins the spires, and the most unusual groining of the vaulting of the body of the church, are two features which the expert will linger over and marvel at, but they have not much interest for the lay observer who will prefer to stroll along the river-bank and pick out charming vistas for his camera.
The convent of Marienburg, which rises high on the hillside back of the town, has an ancient history and was a vast foundation to which references are continually met with in history. To-day it is a hydropathic establishment for semi-invalids and devotees of bridge and tea parties.