Rhine Falls
| Rhine Falls | |
|---|---|
| German: Rheinfall | |
Rhine Falls with Rheinfall Bridge and Laufen Castle | |
Rhine Falls Rhine Falls Rhine Falls | |
Interactive map of Rhine Falls | |
| Location | On the border between the cantons of Schaffhausen and Zurich, near the town of Schaffhausen, in northern Switzerland |
| Coordinates | 47°40′38″N 8°36′57″E / 47.67722°N 8.61583°E |
| Type | Segmented Block |
| Elevation | 364 m (1,194 ft) |
| Total height | 23 metres (75 ft) |
| Number of drops | 1 |
| Total width | 150 metres (490 ft) |
| Watercourse | Rhine |
| Average flow rate | 250 m3/s (8,800 cu ft/s) during winter, 600 m3/s (21,000 cu ft/s) during summer |
The Rhine Falls (German: Rheinfall [ˈraɪnfal] ⓘ / Swiss German: Rhyfall [ˈriːfal], a singular noun) is a waterfall on the High Rhine in Switzerland. It is the most powerful waterfall in Europe and a popular tourist attraction.
The falls are located on the border between the cantons of Schaffhausen (SH) and Zurich (ZH), between the municipalities of Neuhausen am Rheinfall (SH) and Laufen-Uhwiesen/Dachsen (ZH), ca. 3 km (1.9 mi) south of the town of Schaffhausen and close to the border with Germany.
The falls are 150 m (490 ft) wide and 23 m (75 ft) high. In the winter months, the average water flow is 250 m3/s (8,800 cu ft/s), while in the summer, the average water flow is 600 m3/s (21,000 cu ft/s). The highest flow ever measured was 1,250 cubic metres per second (44,000 cu ft/s) in 1965, and the lowest, 95 cubic metres per second (3,400 cu ft/s) in 1921. The highest waterfall in Switzerland are the Mürrenbach Falls (417 m (1,368 ft)).