Switzerland - Rheinfall Part 1

Two factors led to the formation of the Rhine Falls

1. The bedrock. It is much older than the Rhine Falls.
2. The significantly more recent geological processes during the glacial epoch.

The Formation of the Rhine Falls during the Glacial Epoch

As a result of the general termperature fluctuating around 500`000 years ago, the first glacial advances began in the midland and formed the landscape of today.

1. Original course of the Rhine

Up to the beginning of the Riss glacial period (approx. 200'000 years ago) the Rhine River flowed from Schaffhausen in a westerly direction through the countryside of Klettgau. This former Rhine valley was then filled up again with alpine debris.

2. First change of the course of the Rhine

During the Riss glacial period (approx. 120'000 years ago) the Rhine by Schaffhausen was diverted southwards and formed the Rhine Riss period gorge. Today the basin outlet below the falls is this actual channel, which was filled up again debris.

3. Second change of the course of the Rhine river and formation of the Rhine Falls

During the last glacial period, the so-called Würm glacial period, the Rhine was forced to change its route and formed a wide bow towards the south till it reached its present day bed of hard Malm limestone, above the falls. About 15'000 years ago the Rhine Falls were formed when the hard ‘Malm’ limestone at the top changed to the easily eroding debris of the Riss period channel. The Rhine Fall Rocks form the remains of the original steep sloping limestone flanks.

Source: Franz Hofmann, Geologie und Entstehungsgeschichte des Rheinfalls, in: Neujahrsblatt der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft Schaffhausen Nr. 39/1987
Illustration: Typographic Schaffhauser Nachrichten

Commercial Use

Already in the 11th century a small mill was run on the left side of the Rhine Falls. Later grinding workshops and blacksmiths’ shops were added. Already since the beginning of the 19th century there were two dams located just above the falls, which fed the necessary water to the waterwheels of the ironworks and the mill via the canal intakes.

In the 16th century, if not earlier, iron ore was smelted at the Rhine Falls. Towards the end of the 18th century the furnace was shut down again. In 1810 Johann Georg Neher acquired the ironworks and built it up to be the first significant industrial ironworks at the Rhine Falls. 

In 1853 the Swiss railway carriage factory, “Schweizerische Waggons-Fabrik”, (later called SIG) was founded. A crucial factor for the foundation of the company was, among other things, the use of hydroelectric power. In order to also make use of the water power, the company, Aluminium-Industrie-Actien-Gesellschaft Neuhausen was founded in 1888, with the aim of producing aluminium. In 1945 the aluminium production was shut down.

In particular towards the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20thcentury thought was given to the technical use of the Rhine Falls. Projects such as making the Rhine Falls navigable or ideas for the use of hydroelectricity stood little chance.

To this very day water power is used to generate energy at the Rhine Falls. The performance of the Rhine power plant Neuhausen is with its 4,4 MW rather modest in comparison to the largest power plant located at the High-Rhine with 120 MW.

The linking up of the Rhine Fall region with the railway network in the second half of the 19th century led to a boom in the Rhine Fall hotel industry. The Hotel Bellevue was built opposite the “Badische Bahnhof” train station in 1862 – 1844 Hotel Weber and 1861 Hotel Schweizerhof. The guests were able to reach the Rhine Falls undisturbed by promenading through the various parks. The decline of the hotel industry in Neuhausen already began at the turn of the century. The reasons were the rise of tourist centres in the Swiss mountains, the development of Neuhausen to an industrial area, as well as changed travel behaviour.