Castles of the Middle Rhine
The Upper Middle Rhine Valley, between Rudesheim and Koblenz, is a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its castles, fortresses, and vineyards. As a huge fan of castles this was the highlight of highlights. I’m not going to list the castles here, as apparently there is more than twenty-eight according to a leaflet I have, which features twenty of the most interesting ones, with their position on either the left or right bank, so I could spot each one as we sailed the 40-mile stretch between Rudesheim and Koblenz. I managed to see them all and take numerous photographs. A quick search online and asking an AI, suggests there are around 40 castles, fortresses and palaces between Bingen and Koblenz, which is a 65km stretch. Note that after leaving Rudesheim by boat we sailed past Bingen. Bottom line is, there is a lot to see.
Even if you don’t like castles, the view is stunning and being able to sit back and relax while castles which would not look out of place in a fairy tale appear every few minutes, I feel doesn’t get much better. There was a bit of rain this day, and the wind picked up at times, and then the sun came out again, before more rain came, but nothing you wouldn’t experience in Scotland, so it didn’t spoil it for me. I recall hot drinks were handed out, which consisted of alcohol, but it was mid-morning and I’ve forgotten what it was. It was very good though.
The castles are in different states of repair, which is to be expected. Most are easily viewable from the river, affording excellent photo opportunities. There is a story behind each one and the amount of history contained within this small area is astonishing.
The Lorelei Rock can be seen while sailing this part of the Rhine. The myth goes that a young woman committed suicide after being betrayed by her lover, jumping into the water and becoming a siren, luring sailors to their death on the rocks.
It would be quite a journey to visit each of these castles on foot and indeed go inside those that accommodate visitors. It’s a huge undertaking. I see online there is a ‘Hiking the Rhine Castle Trail’ which runs on the left bank for 191 km. There are fortunately smaller, more focussed excursions on certain areas of the trail, both guided and self-guided.
The image accompanying this blog is of the Stolzenfels Castle, which is situated towards the end of the journey. Dates from the 13th century, but rebuilt in the 19th, after it was gifted to the Prussian crown prince, Frederick William in 1823. It is described as being in the Gothic Revival style.
This is another UNESCO World Heritage site ticked off the list, and in keeping with all these sites, an unforgettable one. I was excited to know that I had another site to visit in a few days time.
The Fiction Factory 