The history that is visible even today in the towns and villages of the Middle Rhine Valley goes back to some degree to Roman times.

After the limes had come down, camps in Coblence, Boppard, and Bingen secured the Rhine and formed the northern boundary of the Roman Empire from the 4th century onwards.
They were the main areas of resettlement of the region in the early Middle Ages.

In the high Middle Ages, the region represented one of the core sites of the Holy Roman Empire. Especially since the possibility of collecting lucrative tolls arose in the 13th century, the struggle for control over the Rhine resulted in the construction of numerous fortified towns on the banks of the river.

The wealth of the region at the time is reflected in the many ambitious buildings, which even today dominate the face of the towns. Because of the specialisation in viniculture, the clearing of plateaus increased after the 11th century, resulting in villages and farmland for the cultivation of staple foods.