Due to the settlement of Order of Teutonic Knights in 1216 on a split of land - the point where the Rhine and Moselle flow together - got its historical name "Deutsches Eck" (German Corner).
The confluence of the Rhine and Moselle has played a significant role in forming the town’s name; it is derived from Latin phrase “Castellum apud Confluentes”, meaning “the castle next to the confluence”, that over the years has formed into today’s name Koblenz.
In the year 1888, shortly after the death of Emperor Wilhelm I, the idea was developed to build a memorial for the emperor who had led to the reunification of Germany after 3 wars.
The monument, dedicated to the Emperor Wilhelm I, was unveiled in a formal ceremony in the presence of Emperor Wilhelm II on August 31, 1897.
On March 16, 1945, shortly before the end of the Second World War, the memorial was destroyed by an American artillery attack. (Tip: the impressive head of the original statue can still be viewed in the Central Rhine Museum in Koblenz!)
On September 2, 1993, Europe’s biggest floating crane lifted the equestrian statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I onto its restored pedestal. This was made possible by citizens' initiative and private sponsorship by a Koblenz business man.
The monument with a total height of 37 meters, including 14-meter equestrian statue of Emperor Wilhelm I, is a tourist magnet that attracts more that 2 million visitors annually, and since 2002 it became a UNESCO World Culture Heritage Site of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley.
German Corner is fringed by the flags of the German states, as well as the European flag and the flag of the United States of America, which is dedicated to the victims of the September 11, 2001.