DEUTSCHLAND	GERMANY
Bundesland: Nordrhein-Westfalen	North Rhine-Westphalia
Regierungsbezirk: Köln
Kreis: Rhein-Sieg-Kreis

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Königswinter was first mentioned in a document in 1015 as Winetre, which shows that wine-growing was common already then. In 1342 it was first documented as Königswinter, which suggests that the place was a Royal dominion at that time. In 1889 it was granted the status of a town.

The Drachenfels (Dragon Rock, 320 m) [top] near Königswinter is a popular vantage point. About 2.5 million people climb the mountain each year to enjoy the scenic view on the river Rhine, the Eifel mountains and Cologne. The castle on top of the Drachenfels was built in 1140 by the Archbishop of Cologne. The castle was destroyed during the Thirty Years' War. Since 1883 a rack railway leads up the mountain.

About half-way up the Drachenfels, the romantic Schloss Drachenburg [bottom right] was built in Neo-Gothic style in 1881–1885.

The Petersberg (331 m) [bottom left] has already been inhabited about 4000 BC; parts of a ring wall dating from about 1000 BC have been recovered. The hotel on the Petersberg was built in 1886–1889. After World War II, the hotel served as the seat of the Allied High Commission (hence the nickname Monte Veto). The 'Petersberg Agreement' secured more sovereignty for Germany in 1949. In 1952, the hotel was re-opened and was often rented by the Republic for its guests. Extensive renovation works were carried out in 1990. Since then, the hotel is the official guest house of the Federal Republic of Germany