CASTLES AND PALACES IN ROMANTIC GERMAN
Eltz Castle inMünstermaifeld :
The Eltz Castle lies in the West of Germany, between Koblenz and Trier. It is surrounded on three sides by a river and still owned by the same family that lived here in the 12th century, 33 generations ago. The Eltz Castle features a museum and has an impressive collection of original furniture and artwork on display. The Knights Hall has armor dating back to the 16th century, and the original treasure vault is worth a visit. The Eltz Castle is still an insider tip and not nearly as crowded as other castles in Germany.
Perhaps one of the most visually impressive castles of Germany, certainly not the largest, oldest or historically important, but upon approach either along the banks of the Mosel River (Moselle) of western Germany or from above on the winding road from the A 48, the Reichsburg Imperial Castle’s cone roof spired square tower stands above the walls like a jewel in a crown, perched on a steep sloped hilltop, high above the town of Cochem. The original castle was first built around the year 1,000, as the seat of a Palatine Count Ezzo of Erenfriede.
MarksburgCastle is the only hill castle on the Rhine that has never been destroyed. It
has been lived in for over 700 years and thus represents an ever changing and
developing building complex that has been growing into its present shape over
the centuries. Prior to its current name of Marksburg, the castle was known as
Burg Braubach. On the Rhine’s right bank, upstream from its junction with the
Mosel, a hill rises above the town of Braubach. Crowning the hill is MarksburgCastle, its unusually slender keep towering above the surrounding courts and
ramparts.
In
southern Koblenz, in the town district of Stolzenfels, the castle with the same
name is enthroned high above the Rhine. As Stolzenfels Castle was erected by
the Archbishop of Trier, Arnold von Isenburg, it was used to levy the Rhine
tolls up until 1412. After the expansion by Archbishop Werner von Falkenstein,
the toll castle became the residence of the Koblenz office for the Electorate
of Trier. Nowadays the beautifully enchanting castle buildings, in which you can
experience the impressive residential culture of the 19th century,
can reached on foot by serpentine path from the district of Stolzenfels.
Pfalzgrafenstein Castle is a toll
castle on the Falkenau island, otherwise known as Pfalz
Island in the Rhine river near
Kaub, Germany. Known as "the Pfalz", this former stronghold is famous
for its picturesque and unique setting.
The keep of
this island castle, a pentagonal
tower with its point upstream, was erected 1326 to 1327 by King Ludwig the Bavarian. Around the
tower, a defensive hexagonal wall was built between 1338 to 1340. In 1477
Pfalzgrafenstein was passed as deposit to the Count of Katzenelnbogen. Later additions were made in 1607 and
1755, consisting of corner turrets, the gun bastion pointing upstream, and the
characteristic baroque tower cap.
Rheinfels Castle is a castle ruin located above the left (East) bank of the Rhein in Sankt Goar, Germany. It was started in 1245 by Count
Diether V of Katzenelnbogen. After expansions, it was the largest fortress in
the Middle Rhein Valley between Koblenz and
Mainz. It was slighted by French
Revolutionary Army troops in 1797. It is the largest castle overlooking the
Rhine, and historically covered
five times its current area.