Boppard old town: a guide to the historic centre

Boppard’s historic centre sits close to the Rhine, with the Market Square at its heart. The square has served as the centre of town since at least Roman times, when baths stood there inside the walled fort of Bodobrica.

The centre’s lanes and squares give you a compact route through the old town, while the Rhine Allee—also called Rheinallee—offers a riverside way to walk among trees and flowers.

A walk through Boppard’s historic centre can link its old-town lanes and squares with the remains of the Roman fort. The late-Roman fort was built in the middle of the 4th century, and its name, Bodobrica, later became Boppard.

Open-air remains survive in central Boppard at Angertstraße, on the corner of Kirchgasse. The remains are free to visit and open at all times, so you can include them in a town-centre walk without planning around opening hours.

The tourism service describes the fort as measuring 308 by 154 metres and covering 4.7 hectares. To learn more about the town’s main sights on foot, you can join Boppard’s public city walk.

It departs from in front of the Tourist Information at the Old Town Hall on the Market Square every Saturday at 11:00 a.m. The walk lasts 90 minutes, costs €5 per person and has a maximum group size of 25.

St. Severus Church stands on the Market Square, alongside two other landmarks: the Old Town Hall and the Thonet Fountain. The tourism service describes the square as a popular meeting place, with cafés and restaurants offering outdoor seating, especially in summer.

The Romanesque church was built in the 12th and 13th centuries over Roman baths. Its third building on the site was completed in 1236. St. Severus is a Basilica Minor with two towers; features of interest include a 13th-century triumphal cross, early Christian gravestones and a 6th-century baptismal font.

The church’s listed opening hours are 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; the tourism service does not specify days or exceptions. For current details, check the official site before you go. The St. Severus Kirche Boppard guide covers the church’s history and visiting information.

Rhine Allee gives you a riverside alternative to the old-town lanes, with a tree- and flower-lined route through the centre. Pair a walk along the promenade with time around the Market Square, where the historic landmarks and outdoor café seating sit close together.

A regional passenger-boat company stops in Boppard, offering another way to include the river in a town visit. For a broader route that combines the centre and riverside, see this walkable Rhine itinerary for one day in Boppard.

You can explore the centre on foot, join the regular Saturday city walk, or arrive by train. For rail connections from Koblenz, Mainz and Frankfurt, Boppard’s railway stations connect to the Regional Express network.

Boppard’s main railway station is about 0.3 km from the historic centre.

Residence Bellevue is about 0.3 km from the historic centre, so Residence Bellevue puts the sights within a short walk.

If you’re driving to the town centre and Rhine promenade, the tourism service directs drivers to parking deck 1 or car parks 2, 3 or 5, and lists a €6 day ticket. Check the official site before you go for current parking and church information.

What are the main things to see in Boppard old town?

Key sights include the Market Square, St. Severus Church and the surviving open-air remains of the Roman fort. Rhine Allee adds a riverside walk through the centre.

When does the public city walk take place?

The walk departs every Saturday at 11:00 a.m. from in front of the Tourist Information at the Old Town Hall. It lasts 90 minutes and costs €5 per person.

Can you visit the Roman fort remains for free?

Yes. The surviving remains at Angertstraße and Kirchgasse are free to visit and open at all times.

How can you make a day of the visit?

Combine the old-town sights with time by the Rhine, or follow a broader one-day Boppard itinerary for a town-and-river route.