You were at the Rhine Falls

What did women and men think and feel over the centuries when they stood at the Rhine Falls, before this wonder of playful nature that cannot be found anywhere else in Europe? The texts in this book help the reader to experience the Rhine Falls as a literary adventure, just as our ancestors saw it. Testimonies from over a thousand years document the transformation of the Rhine Falls from a place of fearsome awe to a tourist cliché. Myths, tales, and legends mark the beginning of the Rhine Falls saga. Scholars of the 15th century then report with a cooler head in chronicles and geographical descriptions about the strange natural spectacle. Merchants are annoyed by the obstacle to navigation, which in turn inspires poets to write hymns about nature. The literature surrounding the Rhine Falls experiences a true flourishing starting in 1700, as Europeans are seized by the desire to travel.