A Chain Full Of Castles
Like the Electoral Castle in Boppard, all the Rhine castles have their own exciting history. And where there is history, there are also many myths and legends about knights and beautiful damsels, about love, virtue, deceit and passion. Not far from Boppard stand the two castles Sterrenberg and Liebenstein the Hostile Brothers) high on the rocks above the Rhine. They are separated by a wall which tells of the hostility between the two brothers…probably over a damsel…what else!
Only a few kilometres away, standing high on the rocks, are the castles Katz and Maus or Cat and Mouse. The names might make you smile but these castles were very important strongholds. The Maus could roar and the Katz could show its claws. From Patersberg you have a lovely view of both these castles and also castle Rheinfels.
The ruins of the castle Rheinfels are the largest remains of a fortification on the Rhine. Even today the ruins portray the power of the knights on the Rhine. The underground vaults, in the heart of the castle, offer another superlative…for they are one of the largest vaulted cellars in Europe.
Of a more defined nature are the castles Rheinstein, Reichenstein, Sooneck and Schloss Stolzenfels. These castles mirror the Rhine romanticism, also in their interiors. Stolzenfels, near Coblence, is a prime example of the appreciation of Rhineland romaticism and of the herioc Middle Ages.The famous Prussion builder Schinkel was given the contract to re-build the castle for the Prussian Crown Prince and created not only wonderful rooms, but also a beautifully arcaded garden.
Gardens surround the high walls of the most famous castle on the Middle Rhine. The Marksburg, situated high above the town of Braubach, was never destroyed and therefore is an authentic example of mediaeval castle life. The herbal garden alone is worth a visit but the thick castle walls withhold many treasures, such as a wonderful castle kitchen and a very gruesome torture chamber.
The Moselle river is only a stone’s throw from Boppard and therefore you can easily take a day trip to the castle Ehrenburg, situated in Ehrbach valley, a quiet side valley of the Moselle. For almost 900 years this castle has defied wind and weather, but also enemies and conquerors. Today the mighty walls of the castle invite its visitors to enjoy mediaeval games, markets and festivities and you can lift your wine glasses or beer beakers to a knightly feast.
