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| Rheinstein Castle |
Background
Rivers were the roads of Medieval Europe, and the Rhein River is a big one. Important thoroughfares had to be protected, which in Medieval times meant castles. Lots of castles. Over 20 castles, in fact- not bad for a 45-mile stretch. Today, most of these structures are either ruined or converted to other purposes- hotels, restaurants, private residences, or tourist attractions. Not all can be toured, but all can be viewed, and view them you should, if you have the chance (I'll get to the how in the next section).
Castles aren't the only defining feature in the region; another is vineyards. Until living there, I never thought of Germany as a big wine producer, but one trek through the Rheingau and I wondered if they did anything else in that area. They say the tradition started in Roman times (source here), and ideal terrain and weather has resulted in a profitable industry for centuries since.
Finally, the steep hills and forests of the Taunus mountains in this area are wonderful to experience, especially when combined with the quaint, beautiful, and relaxing villages in the district. It's hard to find something bad about the Rheingau.
Touring
The tranquility of the Rheingau comes at a cost: ease of access. While the famous German autobahns are nearby, if you want to truly experience the splendor of the area, you have two options: a Rhein cruise, or miles of windy, narrow back roads in your personal vehicle. Here are the benefits of each:
1. Rhein Cruise
Plenty of companies offer round-trip cruises of the Rheingau- check websites for times of departure. Generally, the boats will stop at various places, giving you the option to stop and check out a castle or village for a few hours while it continues on. If you're well-behaved, the boat will pick you up on its return journey. Or you could stay on the boat the entire time, getting a comprehensive picture, but miss out on any in-depth experiences. The steep hills of the region mean that often the best views are from the middle of the river, so the boat option isn't a bad one.
2. Personal Vehicle
Driving the winding riverside roads of the Rheingau is a wonderful and, at times, frustrating experience. Frequent bicyclists and narrow lanes mean going can be slow; lack of pull-offs mean you'll see plenty of photo opportunities pass by. If you want to cross the river, you'll have to do so on an auto ferry, as there are no bridges over the Rhein in this vicinity (thanks to both German saboteurs and Allied bombing in WWII . . . the Germans elected to not re-build in many cases). Those things aside, however, personal vehicle is the way to go for those able to stop at will to visit the myriad towns and castles. I recommend sticking on the north side primarily.
Photos
A tip for photographers on the Rhein: bring a good camera with a good zoom. The terrain means that sites on your side of the river will be more above you than anything, offering poor angles. The sites across the river can be well-captured if you have a good zoom lens . . . which I did not. In fact, as I look through my photos, some of which are presented below, I'm impressed with how poor most of them turned out. Part of it was me (an amateur on the best of days), part of it was my camera (an early generation digital point-and-shoot).
A general overview is shown in the map below. I don't cover everything- we'd be here all day- only select sites. Tourist guides to the region abound (and can be easily found in Rudesheim, for example); pick one up if you're planning a visit to help guide your choices.
Eltville am Rhein
A quaint town from which some Rhein cruises depart.
Kloster Eberbach
A nice place.
Rudesheim am Rhein
Also quaint, but more touristy. Be sure to have a glass of wine, see the famous Drosselgasse (a very narrow street in town), and pick up a Christmas ornament at Kathe Wohlfahrt. From here, hike or take the gondola to the Niederwald Denkmal (a monument), with nice views overlooking the area.
Burgruine Ehrenfels
I think Napoleon destroyed this on his way through 200 years ago. This is a moderate hike from Rudesheim. Visible from Ehrenfels is the Mouse Tower- a small tower in the middle of the Rhein with a gruesome legend/history behind it (visible in photos 3 and 4 below).
Assmannshausen
A very small town with an amusing name. A good stop-off for those wanting a good view of Rheinstein Castle.
Burg Rheinstein
I apologize in advance for the plethora of photographs you're about to see here. Rheinstein was my favorite castle on the Rhein, and thus most photographed (and 'photoshopped'). It wasn't the biggest or most popular, but it had a couple things going for it:
- the way it 'grows' organically out of the rock is impressive
- it has small versions of everything, to include cathedral and crypt
- its situation amongst the forests is tranquil and powerful
Burg Reichenstein
As seen from Assmannshausen, across the river. I think it's privately owned.
Burg Sooneck
I think this was the hunting lodge of someone important.
Pfalzgrafenstein Castle
In the middle of the river.
Bacharach
A beautiful town on the south bank, with the "Wernerkapelle" (Werner Chapel).
Burg Schonburg
Now a hotel and restaurant.
Loreley
No pictures of mine for this one. The Loreley is a rock in the narrowest part of the Rhein between Switzerland and the North Sea. It was dangerous to shipping for centuries (still is, actually- there was a horrific accident when we lived there), and legends sprang up regarding it, generally involving topless mermaids luring sailors to their deaths.
Burg Rheinfels
A great ruin with some cool tunnels (which could be filled with explosives and detonated under an unsuspecting army). It has within view 2-3 other castles, shown in photos below, the names of which escape me.
Marksburg
Perhaps the most-visited castle, it's intact and the only unaltered castle in the area. It has a very cool kitchen and torture chamber . . . two necessary things in life.
Conclusion
The Rhein holds more sights than I covered here- as is obvious, this region abounds with attractions. Most Americans think of Bavaria when they think of Germany. While that section of Deutschland is truly beautiful, the Rheingau holds its own as an area of outstanding scenery, architecture, history, and tranquility. Enjoy it if you're able.
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