Katz Castle (German: Burg Katz) is a castle above the German town of St. Goarshausen in Rhineland-Palatinate. This magnificent castle stands on a ledge looking downstream from the riverside at St. Goar. It was first built around 1371 by Count William II of Katzenelnbogen. The castle was bombarded in 1806 by Napoleon and rebuilt in the late 19th century, in 1896–98. It is now privately owned, and not open for visitors.

Though commonly known as Katz, this is actually a contraction of Neukatzenelnbogen after the original castle of Katzenelnbogen (Burg Katzenelnbogen). The name roughly translates into English as Cat's Elbow Castle, and so is popularly linked with that of the nearby Maus Castle.

The castle is of compact layout, consisting mainly of a great hall and a massive bergfried, originally 40 metres tall, on the uphill side.

In 1435, the Counts of Katzenelnbogen were the first to plant Riesling grapes in their vineyard.

Katz Castle and its surroundings are the place of action for the Belgian comic book L'Orgue du Diable in the Yoko Tsuno series by Roger Leloup.

Katz Castle

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Rheinfels Castle (German: Burg Rheinfels) is a castle ruin located above the left (west) bank of the Rhine 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.

While much of the castle is a ruin, some of the outer buildings are now a luxury hotel, "wellness" centre and restaurant. There is also a museum within some of the better preserved structures.

Description

The main entrance to the castle complex is a tall square clock or gate tower (~1300 AD) opposite the hotel. A connecting path joins the clock tower to the remains of the living quarters of the landgraves of Hesse-Darmstadt (the so-called Darmstadt Building). The Darmstadt building was designed in Tudor style with pointed gables. The connecting path was the site of the former moat of the main castle buildings; part of which is now the large cellar or basement. This large cellar was arched over in 1587–89 in two visible phases. It is the largest self-supporting vaulted cellar in Europe and has a length of 24 metres (79 ft), a width and height of approximately 16 metres (52 ft) and can accommodate up to 400 people. The walls are up to 4 metres (13 ft) thick. Previously a 200,000 litres (53,000 US gal) wine barrel was constructed for storage. The cellar was renovated in 1997 and restored to its original condition and now serves as a meeting place for concerts, theater performances, and other shows. Next to the Darmstadt building once stood a 54 metres (177 ft) tall tower. It had a diameter of 10.5 metres (34 ft) with walls 3.5 metres (11 ft) thick at the bottom. In the 14th century, a narrow round tower was added to the top, making it the highest butter-churn tower in Germany.

The castle museum is located in the former castle chapel which is the only finished room of the original castle. It is accessed through an internal gate and up the path. The museum contains a model reconstruction of the castle before its destruction giving one a sense of how big the castle used to be. The medieval castle courtyard is found beyond the castle museum building (slightly uphill). This was the centre of the medieval castle which contained a bakery, pharmacy, garden, brewery, well, and livestock — which would have allowed it to withstand an extended siege. During peacetime, 300-600 people lived in the castle complex. During a siege, that number could swell to 4,500. Remnants of the original 13th-century plaster which was painted white can still be found on some walls.

Hohenzollern claim

In June 2019, a claim made by Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia, that Rheinfels Castle be returned to the Hohenzollern family was dismissed by a court. In 1924, the ruined Castle had been given by the state of Rhineland-Palatinate to the town of St Goar, under the proviso it was not sold. In 1998 the town leased the ruins to a nearby hotel. His case made the claim that this constituted a breach of the bequest. In January 2020, the Prince of Prussia reached an out-of-court settlement with the city. In the future, St. Goar will work closely with the non-profit Princess Kira of Prussia Foundation, which supports socially disadvantaged young people.

Burg Rheinfels

Die Burg Reichenberg ist eine mittelalterliche Burganlage oberhalb der Gemeinde Reichenberg im Rhein-Lahn-Kreis in Rheinland-Pfalz (Deutschland). Durch die Lage der Höhenburg auf 230 m ü. NHN im Hasenbachtal hinter Sankt Goarshausen am Rhein ist sie relativ unbekannt, jedoch eine der bedeutendsten und ungewöhnlichsten Burganlagen von Rheinland-Pfalz. Sie ist Teil des UNESCO-Welterbes Oberes Mittelrheintal.

Geschichte

Bauherren waren die Grafen von Katzenelnbogen, die sich von Untervögten zu einem der mächtigsten Herrengeschlechter des deutschen Mittelalters entwickelt hatten. Baubeginn war unter Graf Wilhelm I. 1319. Bei seinem Tod 1331 waren nur die bewohnbare Schildmauer mit den beiden 40 Meter hohen Flankierungstürmen, die östliche Vorburg und die Fundamente der westlichen Hauptburg vollendet. 1352 teilten die Erben Eberhard und Wilhelm II. von Katzenelnbogen die Burg unter sich auf. Wilhelm II. drehte die ursprüngliche Konzeption um und errichtete seine Burg auf dem Gelände der Vorburg. Bis 1358 wurde ein weiträumiger Wohnbau errichtet, der mit nach Osten und Süden ausgerichteten Kasematten – den ältesten in Deutschland – gesichert wurde. Das dreigeschossige, halbrunde Wohngebäude weist für Mitteleuropa ungewöhnliche Säulenkonstruktionen auf und zeigt architektonische Details, die auf syrische Kreuzfahrerburgen zurückgehen.

1479 ging die Burg durch Erbfall an Hessen und verblieb dort lange Zeit bei Hessen-Rheinfels-Rotenburg. 1649–51 erfolgte nach einer Belagerung eine Restaurierung. Das Bauwerk verlor jedoch schnell seinen militärischen Wert und wurde bald nur noch als Verwaltungssitz des Amtes Reichenberg genutzt, wozu Kornlager und Scheunen gebaut wurden. Bis 1806 war Reichenberg hessische Festung und wurde ab 1821 dann „auf Abbruch“ – der aber im Wesentlichen unterblieb – an Moses Aron verkauft. Der Burgenliebhaber Archivar Friedrich Gustav Habel erwarb die Burg 1836 und trug wesentlich zur Erhaltung bei. 1880 wurde durch Baron Wolfgang von Oettingen im Westen ein historisierender Wohnbau neu errichtet. Die Familie von Oettingen besaß die Burg bis ins Jahr 1956 und unternahm große Anstrengungen zur Sicherung des Bauwerkes.

Nachdem 1814 bereits der eine Turm der Schildmauer wegen Einsturzgefahr gesprengt worden war, stürzte 1971 auch der zweite ein. Auch beim Saalbau gab es einen Teileinsturz, so dass heute die Zwischendecken fehlen. Weitere Teile sind ebenfalls einsturzgefährdet. Bisherige Sicherungsmaßnahmen beschränkten sich in erster Linie auf das Einziehen von Stahlgerüsten zur Stabilisierung des Mauerwerks. Seit Mitte 2010 hat die Burg einen neuen Besitzer. Er plant zusammen mit der Generaldirektion Kulturelles Erbe Rheinland-Pfalz, die Burg vor dem weiteren Verfall zu bewahren.



Burg Reichenberg (Rheinland-Pfalz)

Maus Castle (German: Burg Maus, meaning Mouse Castle) is a castle above the village of Wellmich (part of Sankt Goarshausen) in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It lies on the east side of the Rhine, north of Katz Castle (Cat Castle) in Sankt Goarshausen and opposite Rheinfels Castle at Sankt Goar across the river.

History

Construction of the castle was begun in 1356 by Archbishop-Elector of Trier Bohemond II and was continued for the next 30 years by successive Electors of Trier. The construction of Burg Maus was to enforce Trier's recently acquired Rhine River toll rights and to secure Trier's borders against the Counts of Katzenelnbogen (who had built Burg Katz and Burg Rheinfels). In the latter half of the 14th century Burg Maus was one of the residences of the Elector of Trier.

Unlike its two neighbouring castles, Burg Maus was never destroyed, though it fell into disrepair in the 16th and 17th centuries. Restoration of the castle was undertaken between 1900 and 1906 under the architect Wilhelm Gärtner with attention to historical detail.

The castle suffered further damage from shelling during World War II which has since been repaired. Today Burg Maus hosts an aviary that is home to falcons, owls and eagles, and flight demonstrations are staged for visitors from late March to early October.

Maus Castle


The Schönburg is a castle above the medieval town of Oberwesel in the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.

Schönburg Castle was first mentioned in history between the years 911 and 1166.

From the 12th century, the Dukes of Schönburg ruled over the town of Oberwesel and had also the right to levy customs on the Rhine river. The most famous was Friedrich von Schönburg - a much-feared man known as “Marshall Schomberg” - who in the 17th century served as a colonel and as a general under the King of France in France and Portugal and later also for the Prussians and for William Prince of Orange in England.

The Schönburg line died out with the last heir, the son of Friedrich of Schönburg.

The castle was burned down in 1689 by French soldiers during the Palatinate wars.

Schönburg castle remained in ruins for 200 years until it was acquired by the German-American Rhinelander family who bought the castle from the town of Oberwesel in the late 19th century, and restored it.

The town council of Oberwesel acquired the castle back from the Rhinelander family in 1950.

Since 1957 the Hüttl family have been living at the castle on a long-term lease; they operate a successful hotel and restaurant there.

Schönburg (Rhine)

Gutenfels Castle (German: Burg Gutenfels), also known as Caub Castle, is a castle 110m above the town of Kaub in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.

History

Gutenfels Castle was built in 1220. It was used with the toll castle, Pfalzgrafenstein Castle in the middle of the Rhein and the fortified town of Kaub on the farthest side to provide an impenetrable anti-toll zone for the Holy Roman Emperor until Prussia purchased the area (1866) and ended this toll in 1867.

The castle is part of the Rhine Gorge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site added in 2002. The castle transitioned from a hotel into private ownership in 2006.



Gutenfels Castle


Pfalzgrafenstein Castle (German: Burg Pfalzgrafenstein) is a toll castle on the Falkenau island, otherwise known as Pfalz Island in the River Rhine near Kaub, Germany. Known as "the Pfalz," this former stronghold is famous for its picturesque and unique setting.

History

The keep of this island castle, a pentagonal tower with its point upstream, was erected between 1326 and 1327 by King Ludwig the Bavarian. Around the tower, a defensive hexagonal wall was built between 1338 and 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.

The castle functioned as a toll-collecting station that was not to be ignored. It worked in concert with Gutenfels Castle and the fortified town of Kaub on the right side of the river. Due to a dangerous cataract on the river's left, about a kilometer upstream, every vessel would have to use the fairway nearer to the right bank, thus floating downstream between the mighty fortress on the vessel's left and the town and castle on its right. A chain across the river drawn between those two fortifications forced ships to submit, and uncooperative traders could be kept in the dungeon until a ransom was delivered. The dungeon was a wooden float in the well.

Unlike the vast majority of Rhine castles, "the Pfalz" was never conquered or destroyed, withstanding not only wars, but also the natural onslaughts of ice and floods by the river. Its spartan quarters held about twenty men.

Extensive measures of waterway engineering in the nineteenth century, above all straightening the river for better use as an international waterway and along this particular stretch, clearing it from the old cataract, relocated the regularly used fairway from the river's right arm to its left. Thus the tactical advantage may not be apparent to one unaware of the change in the watercourse.

The island of the castle was used for the Rhine crossing by 60,000 Prussian troops under Blücher in the winter of 1814 in his pursuit of Napoleon.

The castle was acquired by Prussia in 1866, and toll collections ceased in 1867. It continued to be used as a signal station for the river boat traffic for about another century. In 1946, the castle became the property of the State of Rhineland-Palatinate.

Museum

The State eventually turned "the Pfalz" into a museum and restored the color scheme of the baroque period. The museum reflects the conditions of the 14th century, and the visitor will not find modern amenities such as electricity or a lavatory. It is accessible to the public via a ferry service from nearby Kaub as long as river conditions permit.



Pfalzgrafenstein Castle

The two castles Liebenstein and Sterrenberg lie high above the medieval pilgrimage Kamp-Bornhofen, in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Upper Middle Rhine Valley between RÃ¼desheim and Coblence, close to the famous Loreley rock.

Together the two castles are also known as the "Hostile Brothers". Numerous sagas deal with the two feuding decendants of an old king who built the two castles in the course of their dispute about their inheritance. The castles Liebenstein and Sterrenberg lie as close to each other as no other castles have ever been built in the Rhine River Valley.

The Castle Liebenstein was built in the 13th century. Today, the hotel is located in the ancient main tower of the castle. One distinctive mark of the castle grounds is the so called "Streitmauer", a massive wall between the two castles, which also plays an imporetant role in the saga.

Since 1995 our family has been running the hotel and restaurant at Castle Liebenstein. We strive to preserve and restore the castle to ensure that future generations will be able to explore medieval history here at Castle Liebenstein.

https://www.castle-liebenstein.com

Burg Liebenstein (Rheintal)

Sterrenberg Castle (German: Burg Sterrenberg) is a castle above the village of Kamp-Bornhofen in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.

Location

Sterrenberg Castle is located in the Rhine Gorge. The Rhine Gorge is a popular name for the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, a 65 km section of the river Rhine between the cities of Koblenz and Bingen in Germany. It was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in June 2002 for a unique combination of geological, historical, cultural and industrial reasons.

History

By 1034, Sterrenberg was being mentioned as an imperial castle, but the source is not certain. In 1190, Sterrenberg Castle is listed in the book of Werner von Bolanden as a fief, together with the custom point in Bornhofen. The noble family of Bolanden stayed as lords of Sterrenberg Castle until the second half of the 13th century. From this early period, the bergfried and the first, inner shield wall have survived.

Sterrenberg Castle (Rhineland)

The Sauerburg is located at the valley of "Sauerthal" (a valley beside the "Wispertal") on the top of a big hill (360m). The driveway to the castle is located high above the village of Sauerthal. 180 hectare of land belong to the castle Sauerburg.

History

In the 14th century castles often have been used for administration close to a customs facility and also for hunting. Even the Sauerburg seemed to be built for this purpose. The area around the Sauerburg belonged to the count palatines at rhine. They were the owners of the important custom facility "Kaub", which should have been protected by the Sauerburg.

In the year 1355 the arch bishop Gerlach of Mainz authorized count palatine Ruprecht to build the Sauerburg. The castle also should protect from the castle of Waldeck which was located pretty close. Only a few parts of walls remained from castle Waldeck. The counts Johann von Katzenelnbogen, Johann from Nassau-Merenberg and Adolf Nassau became lords of the castle for the new castle to be built. The construction finished in the end of 1361. In the following decades the ownership changed many times. In the year 1505 count palatine Philipp sold the castle to Philipp from Kronberg. The castle remained in the family of Kronberg. Georg from Kronberg was married to Margarethe from Fleckenstein. An emblem of family Kronberg-Fleckenstein is located on the Sauerburg since 1541. The son castellan of Friedberg died as the last of the masculine successors in the year 1617 and left the dilapidated castle to his daughter. She was married to Hans Reinhard Brömser. 1618 Brömser got the document of fee and rebuilt the castle as a fortress in the following years. He was told to be a very religious man and for this reason he is told to be the builder of the chapel on the Sauerburg. After his death his son Heinrich became owner of the castle. But the castle was destroyed in 1635 during the 30 Years War. When Heinrich Brömser died as the last masculine successor of this famous family, his inheritors were Carl Heinrich Freiherr from Metternich, Anna Margarete Freyfrau from Sickingen and Maria Margaretha from Bettendorf. But the authorization of a fee has been declined. 1676 Franz from Sickingen bought parts from the Sauerburg.

The Sauerburg got completely destroyed in 1689 by the French troops of king Ludwig XIV. In the following years on the "Hof Fronborn" a residence has been built. From then on it was no longer called "Sauerburg" but "Sauerberg". For this reason the name of "Hof Sauerberg" remained until today. 1692 Franz from Sickingen got the fee of Sauerburg again. In the following years the Sauerberg remained in the hands of the family from Sickingen. After this the ownership changed many times. In the years of 1909-1912 the wife of the privy councillor Dr. Josef von Loehr, Margarethe born Beyerle from Berlin let rebuild the castle again. After some changing owners the Vieso AG from Switzerland bought the castle and the "Sauerberger Hof". In the year 2004 the Sauerburg was completely renovated and is now a gem and landmark for the "Sauerthal".

Sauerthal with the Sauerburg belongs to the UNESCO "Welterbe Oberes Mittelrheintal".

https://www.sauerburger.org


Sauerburg

Today, Stahlberg Castle is a popular hiking destination. The complex, which is open to the public, is accessible through the Stahlberg-Schleife - a hiking path going from Bacharach through to Stahlberg and back - as well as through the RheinBurgenWeg trail. The untouched grounds of the ruins and unchanged mediaeval to early modern remains exercise a special fascination on all those who cast their eyes on them.

The two bergfrieds lying opposite each other are a special feature of this castle complex in Bacharach-Steeg. The upper and lower parts of the castle were respectively secured by a bergfried, and the two towers are still today a dominant feature of the ruin. Stahlberg Caste was founded shortly before 1155 by the Archbishopric of Cologne, but later came into the ownership of the count palatines of Wittelsbach from 1243. Stahleck Castle and Stahlberg Castle formed the backbone of the southern defence line of the “Bacharach Empire”. Today, Stahlberg Castle is a popular hiking destination. The complex, which is open to the public, is accessible through the Stahlberg-Schleife - a hiking path going from Bacharach through to Stahlberg and back - as well as through the RheinBurgenWeg trail. The untouched grounds of the ruins and unchanged mediaeval to early modern remains exercise a special fascination on all those who cast their eyes on them.

https://www.outdooractive.com