The history of the wine tavern “Zur Sonne”

This house was built in the early years of the 14th century as one of several bathhouses in this street. It stands directly on the old town wall that surrounded Bingen. Older stones from this wall can still be seen in the backyard.

These bathhouses were popular places of entertainment. Men and women bathed together in the pools, which was unusual at the time. People ate and drank together - and it was sometimes quite boisterous. Musicians played the harp and sang, but the church disapproved of the goings-on and branded the bathhouses as places of sin.

With the advent of disease, many of these bathhouses had to close and were used for other purposes. Between 1760 and 1780, this house was given a vaulted cellar in which wine was stored from then on.

Well-known personalities such as Adam von Itzstein, Hecker, Blum and Hoffmann von Fallersleben, all liberal pioneers, often stayed in Bingen, mostly in the “Weißes Ross” hotel.

From 1875 to 1921, the hotel was known as the “Wacht am Rhein”. The wood paneling in the wine bar and the floorboards were installed during this time. The bar was built around 1890.

During the First and Second World Wars, the house continued to be known as the “Wacht am Rhein”. During the Second World War, it was used by the French armed forces as a military base. Many valuable furnishings were damaged in the process.

With the new owner, Mr. Constantin Daub, extensive restoration work began in 1956 to return the house to its former glory.

While the wine tavern used to have guest rooms, these were used privately by the Daub and Kurth families at the end of the 20th century.

Today you will find much of the restored wood paneling, the bar and many typical details that you would expect to find in such a house in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Our wine list offers you almost 40 wines from Rheinhessen, the Rheingau and other wine-growing regions. On our small but fine menu you will find regional specialties and dishes to go with the wine.

We look forward to your visit to our wine bar and wish you a pleasant time.