Federal building minister Barbara Hendricks announced the plans on Wednesday (15.07.2015), with details of the rejuvenation of the popular tourist attraction. "Lorelei is known internationally," she said of the landmark, fabled in folklore for its siren, adding that it was in need of renovation and better infrastructure.

The announcement was preceded by a Europe-wide competition for the design, won by a consortium of architects and engineers based in Erfurt. A central focal point of the UNESCO World Heritage listed Upper Middle Rhine, the Lorelei plateau will be redesigned, with the existing hotel and car park to be demolished to make way for a landscaped park - leaving the panorama unobscured for visitors.

The nearby city of Koblenz, at the confluence of the Mosel and Rhine rivers, will receive an additional 2.4 million euro for the preservation of historic fortifications, including the renovation of the Ehrenbreitstein fortress.

ot/ak/jt (SWR, rlp.de)