Introduction

My Romantic Rhine Images: Imagekind

In October, 2007, my wife, Karen, and I took a Peter Deilmann cruise on the MV Casanova along the Rhine-Main-Danube Waterway. We commenced at Amsterdam and ended at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budapest. One afternoon we travelled the Romantic Rhine (also known as the Middle Rhine, Heroic Rhine, Rhine Gorge and Rhine Valley). The day was dull and misty, so it was hard to obtain crisp photos. To further aggravate the situation, I was taking photos on a moving boat with a hand-held Fuji Finepix Z1. When I arrived home and examined the images, I found them to be somewhat uninspiring. Using my experience with PhotoShop, I post-processed the pictures and uploaded them to flickr. They looked a lot better. Over the past six months, I’ve also worked on them with a number of other filters to give them a painterly feel. They have been posted for sale on Imagekind, and I will re-post them to flickr. The following commentary is meant to place the images in perspective. But first, it is important to understand a bit about the Romantic Rhine.

The Romantic Rhine is a sixty-five kilometer stretch of water between Bingen and Koblenz that is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since the Rhine formed the eastern boundary of Roman Gaul, the French often claimed it as an eastern boundary. To the Merovingian and Carolingian rulers, it was part of a central passageway between Western Europe and Italy. In 870 AD, it became the transportation axis of the Holy Roman Empire.

The Romantic Rhine features many castles which provide a glimpse of Germany’s military and romantic past. They were created by powerful rulers as both defensive works and customs houses, and most of the construction was carried out by serfs. Tolls were exacted along the Rhine from 800 AD to 1800 AD. Secular and ecclesiastical lords, who held lands from the Holy Roman Emperor, could collect tolls as long as they held imperial authorization. Issues concerning the establishment of toll stations included satisfying local power structures, deciding number and locations of stations, determining distance between stations, building custom station defenses and establishing allowable fees. Tolls could be paid in silver or in-kind.

Robber barons, who charged higher-than-allowed tolls, and who operated without imperial authority, first appeared in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. They were most brazen during a disruptive interregnum (1254-1273) between the end of Hohenstaufen rule and the beginning of Habsburg rule. These Rhine lords seized ships and cargoes, and even engaged in kidnapping for ransom. The Rheinischer Bund (Rhine League), which consisted of nobility, knights, churchmen and Rhine towns, sought to restore law and order. Commencing in 1254 AD, the league destroyed robber baron strongholds and hanged the offenders. The league’s methods were continued by Emperor Rudolf of Hapsburg and his successors, who effectively ended the outlawry. Although robber barons reappeared during the Hundred Year’s War in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, their operations were never as extensive as during the interregnum.

Both French advances during the Thirty Years' War (1618-48) and the campaigns of Louis XIV in the Nine Years War(1689-99)stripped Germany of its Rhine dominance. In the late eighteenth century, French Revolutionary forces further consolidated France’s gains, and Napoleon captured northwestern Germany as well as the Elbe and Neisse rivers during the early nineteenth century. There was a backlash of German nationalism expressed by E.M. Arndt, who in 1813 wrote, "The Rhine is Germany's river, not its boundary." But after the defeat of Napoleon in 1815, the Congress of Vienna ceded Alsace to France, thus ensuring France possessed a Rhine presence.

Goethe's journey down the Rhine in 1774 effectively marks the beginning of German Romanticism when Rhine castles underwent significant restorations, most of which included strong Gothic Revival elements. Also during this period, European gentry, artists and writers undertook grand tours to work, to visit the spas and to soak up local wines and lore.

Under Emperor Napoleon III, France again tried to seize Rhine lands, but after its defeat in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71, France lost both its Rhine bid and Alsace. She regained Alsace after World War I.

After World War II there was a move toward economic and political union of the Rhine states.

The Romantic Rhine possesses its own special micro climate which fosters wine-growing, and Riesling is the area’s most famous offering. The river runs through steep hillsides with densely forested tops, and is narrow with serpentine turns. The Lorelei, which is a huge slate rock, is located at the river’s most constricted and dangerous section. Picturesque towns, constrained by hillsides and the river, exhibit architecture ranging from early medieval times to the present.

Just a note before we start: Information on specific people, places, movements, wars, diplomacy, geography, history and institutions is readily available in online, and I have posted links to numerous websites in the last section of this blog. Also, people interested in Rhine legends should consult the following works that are also available online. There are often several versions of each tale.

1. Hero Tales and Legends of the Rhine, by Lewis Spence (Project Gutenberg or Internet Sacred Text Archive)
2. Legends of the Rhine (c1895), by Hélène Adeline Guerber (American Libraries Internet Archive)
3. Legends of the Rhine and of the Low Countries, by Thomas Colley Grattan (Google Books)
4. The Rhine from Cologne to Mainz, by Joseph Snowe (Google Books)
5. Legends of the Rhine, by William Ruland (Kellscraft.com) (http://www.kellscraft.com/LegendsRhine/legendsrhinecontents.html

Now, let’s examine the sites one by one, starting with the Maus Türm at Bingen.

Maüs Turm

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Near Bingen sits an island tower called Maüs Turm. According to legend, it was built by Hatto, the heartless Archbishop of Mainz, to extract tolls from travellers and commerce on the Rhine. The legend claims that the name “Maüs Turm” (“mouse tower”) stems from events in the following story. After a bad harvest, the poor people starved, while Hatto exacted inflated prices for the great stores of grain he held in his granary. One evening, a crowd of beggars appeared at the palace door and implored Hatto to give them food. He agreed, and led them to the granary. When the beggars entered the granary, Hatto locked the door and set the building on fire. He stood back, and when he heard the beggars’ screams, he called out, "Listen! How the mice are squeaking among the corn. This eternal begging is at an end at last. May the mice bite me if it is not true!" Suddenly thousands of mice burst from the granary and began to attack Hatto. He fled for safety to his island tower, but the mice followed and attacked again. He called to the devil for help, and offered his soul if the devil would intervene. The devil let the mice devour Hatto, after which he seized his soul.

It is more likely that Maüs Turm was built in the thirteenth or fourteenth century by the Archbishops of Mainz, and that the name comes either from the word “maut” (toll) or from the term “muse” (watch). It was likely a collecting point for the toll castle at Ehrenburg as well as a watchtower to warn the castle of impending attack. It was rebuilt in the neo-gothic style between 1856 and 1858, and remained in service as a signal tower until 1974.

Assmannshausen

Assmannshausen, a famous red wine-growing centre in southwestern Hesse, is part of the Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis region. It differs from much of the Romantic Rhine, since it produces mainly Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) grapes.

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In 1108, Ruthard, Archbishop of Mainz, provided land for a vineyard to monks at Disibodenberg/Nahe Monastery.

Assmannshausen boasts both water and mud spas. For several centuries, inhabitants mined manganese, slate and quartzite. During the nineteenth century, Assmannshausen was a vacation destination for writers, poets, artists, composers and the nobility

Perhaps a mixture of fact and legend, local lore tells of attempts to save the souls of the robber barons. Rudolph of Habsburg burned their castles and hanged the offenders. Relatives of the hanged retrieved the bodies by night and secretly buried them in consecrated ground, thus hoping to mitigate the punishment the barons would receive in hell. Wood from the gallows and stone from the destroyed castles were used to build a chapel near Assmannshausen. At the first service in the chapel, the Archbishop of Mainz absolved the dead and re-interred their bodies near the chapel. For many years, prayers were offered for the souls of the robber barons.

Burg Reichenstein

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Burg Reichenstein is located at Trechtlinghausen near Bingen. Foundations date from the early eleventh century. Ludwig the Pious gifted the region to the abbey "Kornelimuenster". During the late twelfth century, the castellan was Rheinbodo. His son, Gerhard, ravaged the area until he was deposed. In 1241, Philipp von Hohenfels, also a vicious outlaw, became castellan. To thwart Philipp, the Archbishop of Mainz and the Rhenish town association destroyed Reichenstein in 1253. Philipp von Hohenfels promised good conduct, but strengthened Reichenstein and pillaged as before. The Archbishop of Mainz excommunicated him. In 1277, Dietrich von Hohenfels inherited the castle and continued his father’s depravity. When Rudolf of Habsburg became emperor, he commenced a campaign to be rid of the Rhine robber barons, and in 1282 he besieged Reichenstein, starving the garrison until it surrendered. In 1290, Reichenstein was burned, but Dietrich escaped. The king forbade Reichenstein’s rebuilding, but it was restored anyway. In 1344, Ludwig IV awarded Reichenstein to the Archbishop of Mainz, who leased it to Kuno von Falkenstein. During an Episcopal dispute in 1396, contra-bishop Gottfried von Leiningen took refuge at Reichenstein. With the advent of firearms Reichenstein fell into decay. The castle changed hands several time in the nineteenth century, and in 1899, Baron Kirsch-Puricelli commenced a restoration based both on old foundation drawings and on views of the castle from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Reichenstein was sold in 1987, and parts of the outer castle became a hotel. The centerpiece is a museum.

One of the castle legends concerns Kuno of Reichenstein, who loved Gerda of Rheinstein, and who gave her many gifts although he was poor. He gave her a beautiful Limousin horse, and she promised to be his bride. Kuno sent his wealthy old uncle, Kurt, to ask Gerda’s father for permission to marry. Kurt was unsavoury and disliked the virtuous Kuno. Kurt visited Gerda’s father, but requested Gerda for himself. Gerda’s father extolled Kurt’s virtues to Gerda, but Gerda was distraught. She professed her love for Kuno. Her father became furious that Gerda should wish to marry such a poor suitor. He ordered that she marry Kurt the next day, but she resolved to defy her father’s command. Crowds gathered for the ceremony, but Gerda did not dismount. When Kurt offered assistance, the Limousin bolted along the riverbank. Kurt gave chase. As Gerda spurred the horse on, Kuno opened his drawbridge at Reichenstein. Gerda and the Limousin clattered on to the bridge as Kurt slipped, fell and was killed. Gerda and Kuno married the next day.

There is a legend concerning Dietrich von Hohenfels, who, when captured and condemned to death by Rudolf of Hapsburg, begged the king to spare his nine sons. The king lined up Dietrich’s sons, and told Dietrich that if his decapitated body could rise and walk by his sons, they would be spared. Dietrich’s body completed the task, and the king kept his promise. To this day, Reichenstein is haunted by Dietrich’s headless ghost.

Burg Rheinstein

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Burg Rheinstein sits on a rock outcrop between Bingerbrück and Trechtingshausen. First mentioned around 900AD, its early names included Vogtsburg and Feitsburg. In the thirteenth century it became a customs post. In 1279, it came into the possession of Kuno von Falkenstein, Archbishop of Trier. Between 1282 and 1286, it was occupied by Holy Roman Emperor Rudolph von Habsburg, who used it as a base for passing judgment on the local robber barons. He established the “Noble Knighthood”, and changed the castle name to Konigstein. From the fourteenth to the seventeenth century, the castle was leased by the Archbishopric of Mainz, and was used to protect the archbishopric’s territories. It fell into ruin after 1572, when it was declared unprofitable by Anton von Wiltberg, Chamberlain in Mainz. In 1823, it was sold to Prince Friedrich of Prussia, and between 1825 and 1829 it was rebuilt in neo-gothic style by architect, Claudius von Lassaulx. In 1975, it was sold by Barbara, Duchess of Mecklenburg to opera singer, Hermann Hecher, whose family, along with the "Freunde der Burg Rheinstein e.V.", continues to conserve it. It supports a collection of armour and sixteenth century art, and also boasts a drawbridge and portcullis. In the "Burgunder-Garden” is a grape vine that is five hundred years old. The Knight's Hall contains beautiful stained glass windows and reliefs.

Niederheimbach

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Niederheimbach in the Heimbach valley is a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site in the Upper Middle Rhine Valley. First settlements appeared in the Neolithic period (1000--1800 BC). The Celts inhabited the area around 450BC, and the Romans occupied the area between the first and fourth centuries AD. The Heimbach stream was first mentioned in 955, and the village of Heigenbach was recorded in 1059. The town flourished until the http://www.pipeline.com/~cwa/TYWHome.htm (1618-1648). It was burned and looted in 1639, and was scourged by plague (1625 and 1666). In the eighteenth century its main revenue came from wine and navigation. It was a main centre for Rhine pilots. In 1794, the area was taken over by France and incorporated into the Bacharach prefecture of Koblenz. Under terms of the Congress of Vienna (1815) it was awarded to the Prussian Lower Rhine. From 1830 to 1832, and between 1892 to 1901 the fairway section of the river was widened and deepened, although passage remained problematic until 1974. The Märchenhain fairytale-themed park opened in 1926, but for many years was left in a state of neglect until a private firm undertook its restoration at a new location in 1997. In 1999, the assets of the Märchenhain were turned over to Niederheimbach

Fürstenberg

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Fürstenberg is located in Rheindiebach, a district of Oberdiebach in the Landkreis Mainz-Bingen in Rhineland-Palatinate. The castle stands above Castle Rheindiebach in the Upper Middle Rhine Valley near Bingen. In 1219 CE, Burg Fürstenberg was commissioned by Engelbert II of Cologne in order both to secure the archbishopric’s property at Bacharach, and to serve as an administration centre for toll collection. In 1243, after the cessation of fighting between the Electors of the Palatinate, Burg Fürstenberg was given as a hereditary fief to the Count Palatine of the Rhine. The tower was added in 1500 to support the use of firearms. Spain captured the castle in 1620, and Sweden captured it in 1632. It was destroyed during the Nine Years’ War in 1689. In 1844, Luise von Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the widow of King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia, unsuccessfully tried to acquire the castle. Her son, Prince Frederick of the Netherlands, obtained it in 1845, and presented it to his wife, who commissioned architect, C. de Jong, to expand it in the neo-Gothic style. The project was never carried out. In 1910, Fürstenberg was sold to the Wasum family of Bacharach. In 1993, it was purchased from Gernot Stelter Rheindiebach, and is now undergoing conservation.

It is surrounded by vineyards, and features a twenty-five meter round tower as well as ten meter high walls. Still visible are parts of the gatehouse and some old plaster on the walls. It was secured by a moat and was accessible by a bridge and gate. There is a lovely view of the Rhine from the left of the terrace, and of Bacharach to the right. Southeast of the castle are Ruine Nollig, Lorch and the Rebhänge of the Rheingau.

A legend concerning Burg Fürstenberg goes as follows: Lambert of Fürstenberg married Wiltrud, a daughter of the Florsheim family. The couple had a child. Shortly after the birth, a young, beautiful, evil woman named Luckharde became a ward of the family. Luckharde seduced Lambert, and made plans to replace Wiltrud as lady of the castle. One night Luckharde slipped into Wiltrude’s chamber and smothered her. Lambert never suspected foul play, and after the grieving period, he married Luckharde. The evil woman hated the young child, and handed him over to an old crone to be nursed elsewhere in the castle. One night this old woman awoke to see a female form bending over the cradle and tending the child. When Luckharde was told of the incident, she feared that Wiltrud was not truly dead, and decided to test the story’s veracity for herself. She took the crone’s place in the bed by the child. She brought with her a dagger, and waited to see what would transpire. At midnight the female again appeared, and tended the baby as before.
Afterward the apparition approached Luckharde’s bed. It was indeed the ghost of Wiltrud. When Luckharde tried to stab the ghost, the dagger only sliced through air. As Wiltrud disappeared, as voice cried, "Do penance for thy sins!" The next morning, when searching for his wife, Lambert found a piece of parchment on which Luckharde confessed all. She retired to a nunnery, and Lambert became a hermit.

Burg Sooneck

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Sooneck protected the Trechtingshausen estates belonging to Kornelimunster Abbey near Aachen. The knights of Bolanden and lords of Hohenfels (after 1241) were stewards of Sooneck and Reichenstein during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. These robber barons angered the alliance of Rhenish towns, which besieged the castles in 1254. In 1270/1271, robber baron Philipp von Hohenfels was forced to sell Sooneck to the church of Mainz. In April 1346, Johann Marschall zu Waldeck, leased Sooneck from Erzbischof Heinrich III von Mainz and rebuilt it in the following years. In 1689, during the Nine Years War, Sooneck was blown up by the French. Between 1842 and 1861, Prussian Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm and his brothers, Carl and Albrecht, converted Sooneck into a hunting lodge. Sooneck was the last Rhine castle to be rebuilt by the Hohenzollerns, and the restoration was planned and executed by architect and engineer, Major Karl Schnitzler The restoration retained the castle’s 14th century elements. Attractions include exposed landscapes and collections of weapons, Empire and Biedermeier furniture, and the castle pub.

Legend states that Siebold of Sooneck and Hans Veit of Furstenberg came to quarrel. Hans was a great bowman, and Siebold was a great swordsman. Siebold challenged Hans to a sword duel, which Siebold won. Siebold ordered that Hans be blinded. Hans became Siebold's captive, and suffered in the dungeon. During a party at Burg Sooneck, Siebold decided to humiliate Hans by mocking Hans’ inability to draw bow. Siebold stated that if Hans could shoot a goblet thrown into the air, he would be freed. When Siebold tossed the goblet upward, instead of firing at the goblet, Hans released an arrow into Siebold’s neck, killing him instantly. Afterward, Hans lowered his bow and cried, either from the joy of being free or from delight at the prospect of shooting his bow.

Bacharach am Rhein

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Bacharach am Rhein, in the Mainz-Bingen district of the Rhineland-Palatinate, was originally known by name ‘Baccaracus’. In the seventh century, it was ruled by Kunibert, Archbishop of Cologne. Afterward, it passed to the Counts Palatine, representatives of the Emperor, who weakened archiepiscopal influence. In 1214, the Wittlesbach family established a toll booth. Later, Bacharach became a depot for Rhine shipping. The town was built between 1344, and 1400. In 1545, it became officially Protestant under Friederich II. It was occupied during the Thirty Years’ War, and neighbouring Burg Stahleck, along with four towers in the town walls, was destroyed during the Nine Years’ War which commenced in 1687. In 1794, French Revolutionary armies occupied Bacharach. During the early nineteenth century, the harbour silted, and Bacharach fell into decline until the commencement of the Romantic Period that saw the rise of tourism in the area.

The Wernerkapelle, named after St. Werner, is a prominent landmark near Burg Stahleck. The sixteen-year-old Werner was allegedly murdered by the Jews on Maundy Thursday, 1287, and his blood was used in Passover rituals. The legend evoked a pogrom in which Jews of the Middle Rhine were wiped out. The Cult of Werner was finally stricken from the Bishopric of Trier calendar in 1963.

Burg Stahleck

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Burg Stahleck dates from at least 1135 AD, and is situated near Bacharach in the Rhineland-Palatinate. Its name derives from the Middle High German word for steel.
It was established as customs castle by the Archbishopric of Cologne. At one time, it belonged to Konrad, brother of Frederick Barbarossa. In 1214, it passed to Louis the Bavarian of the Wittelbach dynasty, thus giving the Wittelsbachs two strategic locations on the Rhine. In 1349, Emperor Charles IV married Countess Anna at the castle. It was damaged during the Thirty Years' War, but was restored by Palatine Count Karl Ludwig in 1666. In 1828 it was purchased by Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia for his wife, Elisabeth of Bavaria. It was restored between 1925 and 1927. The last part of the restoration occurred in 1967 when the dungeon was completed.

Legend states that Palatinate Count Hermann inhabited Burg Stahleck. He wished to increase his land holdings at the expense of the Archbishops of Mainz and Treves. Adalbert of Monstereil, Bishop of Treves and Metz, gathered troops to fight Hermnann. Although his forces were not as plentiful as Hermann’s, Adalbert spurred his men by stating that a crucifix given to the bishop by the Archangel Michael would make them successful. The archbishop’s men forced Herman's troops to flee. Hermann then renounced his feud with Adalbert, and directed his attention to seizing the lands of Arnold of Solnhofen, Bishop of Mainz. Arnold dismissed Hermann as a petty count, and Hermann vowed revenge. Hermann was aware of the hatred the citizens of Mainz held toward Arnold, and claimed to take up their cause. Arnold hired two villains who put the Hermann to death. The citizens of Mainz seized the bishop's palace and turned Arnold out. When he tried to retake his property, he was killed in the Abbey of Jacobsberg.

Kaub

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Kaub is located in the Rhineland-Palatinate, which is part of the Rhein-Lahn-Kreis district. It is incorporated into the municipality (Verbandsgemeinde) of Loreley. It contains both Roman Catholic and Evangelical churches, as well as a statue of Field Marshal Blücher, who, on New Years’ Eve, 1814-15, crossed the Rhine here at the head of a Prussian and Russian army on route to fight Napoleon. The town is noted for its wine and slate mining. It was first mentioned in 983 AD, and was a centre of the Falkenstein family who built Burg Gutenfels. In 1260 it passed to the Counts of Katzenelnbogen, and in 1277, it became part of the Rhine Palatinate. Kaub received its city charter from Louis the Bavarian in 1324. The toll tower known as Burg Pfalzgrafenstein was built in 1326 on wetlands on the Rhine. In 1477, Kaub was returned to the Counts of Katzenelnbogen.

Pfalzgrafenstein

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Pfalzgrafenstein is a toll castle on Falkenau Island (Pfalz Island) near Kaub. Commonly known as "Pfalz", this former stronghold is famous for its picturesque and unique setting. Its pentagonal keep was erected in 1326/27 by Ludwig the Bavarian. A hexagonal wall was built between 1338 and 1340. Corner turrets, the gun bastion and a baroque tower cap were built between 1607 and 1755. Pfalz served as a toll tower for ships that were stopped by a chain across the Rhine. The dungeon was a wooden float in the well. It held only twenty men, but was never conquered or destroyed.

The castle island was crossed by sixty thousand Prussian troops in pursuit of Napoleon in 1814. Pfalz was assumed by Prussia in 1866. Toll collections ceased in 1867, but Pfalz remained a signal station for another century. In 1946, Pfalz became property of the State of Rheinland-Pfalz, and was turned into a museum. It was restored to its Baroque colour scheme, and reflects a fourteenth century lifestyle.

A legend associated with Pfalz states that, although Emperor Friedrich Barbarossa and Duke Henry the Lion of Brunswick were cousins, they were bitter enemies. At Burg Stahleck, Count Palatine, Konrad, was loyal to the Emperor. Konrad wished to find a husband for his daughter, Agnes. Since Konrad had no male heir, his son-in-law, who would inherit, needed to be a very special man. But Agnes loved Henry, the son of Henry the Lion. Konrad’s wife backed Agnes. Konrad imprisoned both women in the tower at Pfalz Island. One moonlit night, Henry rowed to the tower. He and Agnes agreed to marry in secret, which they did several days later. After nine months, Konrad’s wife called for Konrad to come to Pfalz Island where he discovered that Henry was his son-in-law, and that he had a grandson. Konrad told Emperor Friedrich, and the emperor was pleased for the union which might help him to reconcile with Henry the Lion. Friedrich became the child’s godfather. Most of the legend is fanciful, but it is true that Agnes married Henry the Lion’s son.

Another legend relates that Palatine Prince Hermann suspected his wife, Guba, of infidelity, and jailed her at Pfalz. The governor of Pfalz, Count von Roth, believed her innocent, and the countess became Guba’s friend. Guba was childless; thus, her brother-in-law, Ludwig, was heir. Ludwig thwarted attempts at reconciliation between Hermann and Guba. Ludwig complained about the leniency shown Guba, and mistreated Guba during his visits to Pfalz. But Guba became more cheerful than ever, and stated she would soon be reconciled to her husband. She announced her pregnancy, and that the child belonged to Hermann. Von Roth and his countess doubted the parentage. Guba delivered a boy, but Von Roth sent the child away. Guba was sad, but von Roth said that the child was well-housed across the Rhine. He told Guba to watch for a white flag each day that would signal that the boy thrived. She spotted the flag every day for many years. Hermann died, and Ludwig became Count Palatine. He was challenged by a young man who claimed to be Hermann’s son. He was indeed the son of Hermann and Guba who had been raised across the Rhine near Pfalz. When he came to free his mother, she begged to end her days in freedom at Pfalz.

Oberwesel

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Oberwesel is a town in the Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis district of the Rhineland-Palatinate. It belongs to the municipality of Sankt Goar-Oberwesel, and dates to Celtic times. The Romans operated a horse exchange and hostel at Oberwesel. It also served as a manor and court for the Franconian counts who ruled after the decline of Rome. Otto I assigned it to the Diocese of Magdeburg in 966, and it received its charter from Frederick II in 1220. In 1390/91, Werner von Falkenstein, Archbishop of Trier took it after a siege. Between 1220 and the mid-fourteenth century, revenues from wine growing and salmon fishing helped fund the building of city walls. During the later Middle Ages, the Liebfrauenkirche and Sanktmartinskirche were built, as were a home for a lay sisterhood (the Beguines) and the Franciscan Monoriten Monastery. During the Nine Years’ War, Oberwesel was destroyed by the French. In 1794, it was again destroyed by the French. After the Congress of Vienna in 1815, it was assigned to Prussia.

A tale relates that seven wild beautiful maidens once lived the nearby castle of Schönburg. They toyed with and broke the heart of every suitor who called upon them. At a banquet held at the castle, two knights commenced to fight over one of the maidens. The other knights demanded that the maidens make a final decision on whom they would pick to be husbands. At first, the sisters were reluctant to comply, but they seemingly relented, and told the knights they would announce their decisions the next day. In the morning, when the knights assembled in the hall, an attendant announced that the maidens were waiting in the garden near the river. When the knights arrived in the garden, they spied the maidens in a boat on the Rhine. The eldest sister stood and regaled the suitors, saying that the maidens purposed to move on to Cologne where they would hoodwink other suitors. Suddenly a storm overturned the boat, and the sisters were drowned. Every now and again, they appear as seven pointed rocks which threaten mariners with disaster

Burg Gutenfels

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Burg Gutenfels was built in the thirteenth century by the Falkenstein-Münzenberg family, and became part of the region of Kurpfalz. It switched jurisdiction to the Rhine Palatinate in 1277. In the fourteenth century it underwent expansion, and some of the walls were added. It received its name in 1504 after an unsuccessful siege by Landgraf Wilhelm von Hessen. During the Thirty Years’ War (1630-47), it was conquered several times. In 1793 it fell to French Revolutionary forces, and Napoleon ordered it destroyed in 1806. During the 1890s, it was restored with historical accuracy by architect, Gustav Walter. Until 2006, it served as a hotel, but now it is a corporate training centre. The fallow vineyard terraces at the foot of the castle will be repaired and re-planted with vines.

A story related to Gutenfels tells of Count Philip von Falkenstein, who, along with his good and beautiful sister, Guta, inhabited the castle during the early thirteenth century. Many knights desired to win Guta’s hand. A great tournament was held at Cologne, and knights arrived from far and wide. A handsome warrior from England arrived, and was announced as the “Lion Knight”. He won all encounters he attempted, and Guta was chosen to present him with a laurel wreath. They fell in love. He remained at her side throughout the following banquet, and expressed his love to her. He said he must return to England, but that he would come for her in three months when he would tell her his name which he must presently conceal. Guta accepted. During the three-month period, there was war. Conrad IV, the last of the house of Hohenstaufen, had died in Italy, thus leaving open the Emperor’s title. William II of Holland, Alphonso of Castile and Richard of Cornwall vied for the title, but Richard of Cornwall won. Guta longed for her knight, but he did not return. She thought he had deceived her and she could not be consoled. One day, however, Gutenfels awoke to the sound of blaring horns. Guta’s knight arrived, announcing himself as Richard of Cornwall, and desiring to claim his bride. They were married and she became his empress.

In reality, Richard of Cornwall did become Holy Roman Emperor, but although he married three times, none of his wives was named Guta.

The Lorelei (Loreley)

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The Lorelei (Loreley) is a One-hundred-and-twenty meter high rock on the eastern bank of the Rhine at St. Goarshausen. Many boat accidents have been attributed to the current and to the rocks below the waterline. In 1395 the Counts of Katzenelnbogen started vineyards there.

Legends speak of Rhine maidens who, through their sweet singing, lure sailors to their deaths on the rocks. The term Lorelei may come from a combination of the old german word “lureln” (murmur) with the Celtic word “ley” (rock) or from the old german word “luren” (lurking) with the word “ley”. In his work entitled "Godwi oder Das steinerne Bild der Mutter" (1801), Clement Brentano told the story of Lorelei, a maiden who jumped to her death from the top of the rock after being spurned by her lover.

Another tale goes as follows: The Lorelei was a beautiful, but false water nymph, who lured men to their deaths as they passed the rock upon which she sat and sang at night time. Captivated by her beauty and song, they became oblivious to rocks near the shore and were dashed to pieces. Ronald, son of the Palatinate Count, heard her song, and longed to see her. He persuaded an old sailor to row him to the rock just as night fell. The Lorelei appeared and sang her song directly to him. Impatient, he dove into the water to be near her, and was dashed by the rocks. The count was saddened and angered at the death of his son, and ordered the killing or capture of the nymph. Four soldiers attempted a capture the next day. They climbed the rock and were confronted by the nymph who heaped scorn on them. She then called for the river steeds to come to her, and rode off into the Rhine current. She was never seen again

Sankt Goarshausen

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Sankt Goarshausen is in the Rhineland-Palatinate close to the Lorelei rock. St. Goar’s shrine is the scene of numerous miracles and traditions. Legend states that St. Goar settled among the poor on the Rhine in the mid sixth century. He taught the tenets of Christianity and aided the sick. He also aided mariners who fell victim to the dangerous eddy known as “Sand Gewirr". He was summoned to the presence of King Sigebert at Andernach, who had heard of his reputation for saintliness. Many of the court ecclesiastics, especially the Archbishop of Treves, were jealous of him. Sigebert deprived the archbishop of his archbishopric and offered it to St. Goar, who refused. As he left court, St. Goar threw his cloak over a sunbeam to show that his refusal of the archbishopric was the will of God. When St. Goar died, Sigebert built a chapel over his grave. Other hermits gathered into a monastery at the site. The grave became a shrine, and was visited by many pilgrims. St. Goar became patron saint of hospitality, and no stranger was turned away from his monastery.

Another story deals Charlemagne. While travelling from Ingelheim to Aix-la-Chapelle, Charlemagne and his retinue passed the shrine of St. Goar without stopping. Skies clouded over and thunder boomed. The entourage panicked. An old mariner told Charlemagne that God and St. Goar were offended. Charlemagne and the others went ashore and prayed for deliverance and forgiveness at the shrine. Before leaving, Charlemagne richly endowed the shrine.

Another story concerns Charlemagne’s sons, Pepin and Carloman, who quarreled over whom should rule after the death of Charlemagne. They became bitter enemies. In 806, Charlemagne summoned his three sons, Carloman, Pepin, and Ludwig to Thionville in order to state his wishes. Carloman was in Germany, and Pepin in Italy. Both travelled the Rhine to reach Thionville. As Pepin approached St. Goar, he remembered it was there that he and Carloman had last been friends. He went ashore and prayed at the shrine. When Carloman arrived, he, too, was reminded of the former friendship, and also put ashore to pray at St. Goar’s shrine. The brothers met, and again pledged their friendship.

Burg Rheinfels

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Burg Rheinfels perches above Sankt Goar, and once covered five times its current area.

In 1245, Count Diether V of Katzenelnbogen built Rheinfels as an administrative and toll collection centre. It was shortly afterward besieged by the League of Rhenish Cities, but the Katzenelnbogen family thrived and maintained power through skilful financial, political and marital strategies. Burg Katz and Burg Rheinfels gave the family effective control of the Middle Rhine. When the last of the German Katzenelnbogen family died in 1479, Rheinfels was assumed by the House of Hesse, who turned it into a renaissance castle. In 1692, it was largely destroyed by Louis XIV of France. In 1794, it was seized by the French Revolutionary Army, and in 1796/97 it was blown up once more. Much of the castle is still a ruin, but it does contain a luxury hotel, wellness center, restaurant and museum

A story related to the castle tells of the Count of Rheinfel’s beautiful daughter, who was wooed and won by George Brömser of Rüdesheim. This love incensed a rival by name of Dietrich of Berg. The Count of Rheinfels agreed to follow his daughter’s desires, and the lovers fixed a marriage date. Brömser arrived at Rheinfels with the news that he was called upon to help put down a rebellion by the Swiss. Before leaving, he planted a linden tree which he dedicated to his patron, St. George. He told the maiden to tend it well, but that if it died, it meant that he, too, had died, and that she would be released from her vow to him. He then set off. News arrived that many were killed at the Battle of Morgarten, and after George failed to appear within a reasonable time, it was assumed that he had been killed. Dietrich of Berg again presented himself to gain her hand. She told him that she would remain true to George as long as the linden remained alive. Dietrich cut down a dead linden in the forest and switched it with the live linden. Upon seeing the dead linden, the girl told Dietrich that she would remain true to George even though he was dead. In his anger, Dietrich drew his dagger and killed her. Afterward, he hanged himself in a fit of remorse. George Brömser, who had sustained broken limbs and bleeding wounds in the battle, returned after he had healed. When he saw her grave, he gave up his noble statues, and took up the life of a wandering minstrel

Burg Katz

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Burg Katz is located at St. Goarshausen in the Rhineland-Palatinate. It was constructed in 1371 by Count Wilhelm II of Katzenelnbogen. The name is a pun on the word ‘Katzenelnbogen’, and translates as ‘Castle of the Cats”. The proper name is “Neukatzenelnbogen". It was built to protect the Katzenelnbogen lands and to receive tolls from merchants and travellers along the Rhine. The Spaniards besieged it in 1626, and the French tried to take it in both 1684 and 1692. It was captured by the French in 1792, and was blown up by Napoleon in 1806. The subsequent restoration was heavily influenced by the nineteenth century neo-gothic movement. At present it is privately owned and is being retrofitted as a hotel

Burg Maus

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Burg Maus is located on the east side of the Rhine near St. Goarshausen. Constructed by Archbishop-Elector, Bohemond II of Trier in the mid-fourteenth century, it served to enforce his toll rights and to secure borders against the counts of Katzenelnbogen, who allegedly gave the castle its name. Punning on their own name, the Katzenelnbogens joked that it was the job of the “Katz” to keep the mouse (maus) in check. This name stuck, even though the castle was also referred to as Burg Peterseck, Thurnberg (Thurmberg) and Deuernburg. Burg Maus was never destroyed, but fell into a state of disrepair during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Between 1900 and 1906, it was restored, with great attention to historical accuracy, by architect Wilhelm Gärtner. During World War II, the castle received shell damage. It now houses an aviary for falcons, owls and eagles.

Kamp-Bornhofen

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Kamp-Bornhofen is a noted spa, St. Mary’s Abbey is a renowned pilgrimage centre. St. Mary’s was consecrated in 1435, and its medieval image of the Virgin Mary is reported to work miracles. Kamp-Bornhofen is closely linked to Burgs Sterrenberg and Liebenstein, also known as the 'Hostile Brothers'. Sterrenberg was built in the eleventh century, and Liebenstein was built between 1284 and 1290. A 2.5 metre thick curtain wall was built around Sterrenberg in reaction the construction of Liebenstein. It was named the 'wall of discord', and the myth of the 'Hostile Brothers' was born.

At the start of the 20th century, St Mary’s became too small to hold the pilgrims, so the Franciscan friars established a square on the northern side in 1912. Approximately two hundred thousand pilgrims admire the portrait and the marble eighteenth century pulpit each year

The story of the hostile brothers tells of an old knight who lived at Sterrenberg with his two sons. His wife was long dead, and the castle was in a constant state of sadness. The knight’s distant cousin died, leaving his beautiful little daughter, Angela, in the knight’s care. Eventually, both boys fell in love with her. The old knight wished his oldest son-and-heir, Henry, to marry the girl, but Angela loved the younger son, Conrad. Both sons decided to go on crusade, but after pleadings from the old knight, Henry decided to remain at home. Even though Angela begged Conrad not to go, he remained determined to leave. Conrad planted a laurel sprig for Angela to tend. He promised that when he returned, he would make a laurel wreath for her.

After a lengthy time, Angela began to look upon Henry with tenderness, and stated that her love for Conrad had been a youthful passion. But Henry refused to betray his brother. The old knight decided to build a new castle, which he called Liebenstein, for his second son to rule upon his return. Shortly after completing the castle’s construction, the old knight died.

Retuning knights told Angela and Henry that, on his way back from the Holy Land, Conrad had married a Grecian princess with whom he was returning home. Henry was furious that his brother would betray Angela in such a manner. He met Conrad on Sterrenberg’s bridge, and the two men commenced fighting. After much bloodshed, Angela stepped between the two, and announced that she would enter a nunnery. Conrad was grieved at what he had done, and took up residence in Liebenstein, where his new wife soon ran off with another knight. Angela retired to the monastery, and she and Henry both died on the same day. When Conrad heard of the deaths, he threw himself off Liebenstein’s ramparts. Both strongholds then fell into the hands of the Knight Brömser of Rüdesheim

Boppard

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Boppard is located in the Rhein-Hunsrück district of the Rhineland-Palatinate. It was founded by the Romans, and became a royal residence during the Merovingian dynasty. During the middle ages, it was an important centre for commerce and shipping. It became an imperial free city during the rein of the Hohenstaufen emperors. In 1283, Ludwig, the Count Palatine, mortgaged his customs duties to Count Eberhard of Katzenelnbogen.

In 1312, Emperor Henry VII pledged Boppard to his brother, Baldwin, Archbishop Elector of Trier, and it remained under Trier influence until it was absorbed into Revolutionary France. At the Congress of Vienna, 1815, Boppard came under Prussian rule. It still maintains its walls and is a popular tourist centre. It is also home to much light industry including machinery and pharmaceuticals. The Church of St. Severus, the Carmelite Church and the archbishop's castle date to the middle ages. The castle serves as the city museum. Like a number of other Rhine communities, Boppard is a noted spa. Kurtrierische Burg, the former electoral castle, was established by Baldwin of Trier in 1327. Boppard also contains an archeological park that focuses on life in Roman times.

Bad Salzig in the Rhineland-Palatinate is incorporated into the City of Boppard. It is a spa town with slightly salty water.

According to legend, Sir Conrad Bayer, a noble knight who lived in Boppard, professed that he refused to go on crusade because he wanted to protect his property from the Rhine robber barons; but in reality, he was courting a maiden named Maria who lived in a neighbouring castle. She fell in love with him, but his passion cooled, and he readied to go on crusade. She pleaded against his leaving, but he said he no longer loved her. Maria was devastated and desired revenge. As he was leaving his castle for Palestine, Conrad was confronted by an armoured youth claiming to be Maria’s brother, who challenged Conrad to a fight. After Conrad won the battle, he removed the youth’s helmet, and discovered that the youth was actually Maria, who died shortly afterward. Harbouring a sense of guilt, Conrad built the convent of Marienburg on top of a nearby hill as a remembrance to Maria. He then became a Knight Templar, and died at the siege of Acre.

Marksburg

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Situated above Braubach, Marksburg is the only intact medieval Rhine castle. It was first mentioned in 1231. Originally known as Burg Braubach, it was property of the Lords of Eppstein, who assumed the local silver mines. In 1283, it became the property of the Count Eberhard II of Katzenelnbogen, whose family added the gothic aspects of the castle. From 1479 to 1803, it was ruled by the Landgraves of Hesse. In the seventeenth century, it was turned into a hill fortress with artillery batteries and ramparts. During the first half of the nineteenth century, it belonged to the Duchy of Nassau, and was used as both a jail and disabled soldiers’ home. In 1866, Marksburg and Braubach passed to Prussia. In 1900, Marksburg was purchased by the Association for the Preservation of German Castles, and was restored by court architect, Bodo Ebhardt, as a typical late medieval fortress.

Legend relates that Elizabeth, daughter to Count von Eppstein, fell in love with a knight named Siegbert von Lahnstein, who was called to go to war against Bohemia. A young monk called Brother Mark, who was named after St. Mark, decided to help Elizabeth through her period of difficulty. A year later, a young gentleman in black armour, named Rochus von Andechs, who claimed to be a cousin of Siegbert, appeared at Burg Lahneck, and stated that Siegbert had died at the Battle of Marchfeld. Rochus quickly claimed Burg Lahneck, and asked for Elizabeth's hand. Elizabeth confided to Brother Mark that something about Rochus was not right, but father was set on her marrying Rochus. While praying one night, St. Mark appeared before his namesake, Brother Mark, and informed the monk that Rochus was a minion of the devil. St. Mark gave Brother Mark a Holy Cross, which Brother Mark pushed to Rochus’ chest. Rochus was swallowed by the earth.

Oberlahnstein

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Oberlahnstein is situated at the confluence of River Lahn and the Rhine, and retains part of its walls and towers. The town is noted for its lead and silver mines. Schloss Martinsburg, which is located in the town, was the residence of the electors of Mainz.
In 1292, King Adolf of Nassau gave permission for the Archbishopric of Mainz to collect customs duties, and in 1298 the archbishopric built Burg Lahneck to act as a collection centre. In 1324, Holy Roman Emperor, Louis the Bavarian, presented the town charter and approved the building of fortifications. In 1400, at the Marienkapelle of Schloss Martinsburg, King Wenceslaus was deposed for failing to maintain the public peace. He was replaced by Rupert, Count of the Rhine Palatinate. Between 1632 and 1646 the town was occupied at various times by the Swedish, Imperial, Hessian and French troops.

Schloss Stolzenfels

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Schloss Stolzenfels is one of the best-known castles on the Rhine. In the mid-thirteenth century, Arnold II of Isenburg, Archbishop of Trier, built a small fortress to collect shipping tolls from Rhine traffic, and in the late fourteenth century, the Archbishops of Trier made Stolzenfels their home. In 1632, it was occupied by Sweden. It was held by the French for several years during the Thirty Years War. In 1689, it was destroyed by the French during the Nine Years War. Kronprinz Friedrich Wilhelm was given the castle in 1815, and it was restored by Prussian architect, Karl Friedrich Schinkel, who designed a new structure around the medieval core. It is approached by a meandering path which passes aqueducts, crosses bridges and moves through gardens and ravines.

The medieval gatehouse opens on to an Italianate courtyard. The castle is painted yellow ochre. After his ascension to the throne in 1842, Friedrich Wilhelm used Stolzenfels as his summer residence. A collection of weapons and early German ceramics is located in the former Knights Hall.

A story tells that Conrad of Isenburg, Elector of Treves, added a toll house to his castle at Stolzenfels, and directed his steward, Gerhard Frundsberg, to collect the tolls. Gerhard undertook to steal a portion of the toll money from his master. He also raised the tolls to an exorbitant level, and taxed the Jews double the already inflated amount. An alchemist named Lionardo learned of Gerhard’s avariciousness, and gained Gehard’s trust by promising to use his powers to increase Gerhard’s wealth to an even greater degree. While Gerhard continued top amass riches, Lionardo was, in turn, stealing from Gerhard.

Gerhard learned that Conrad of Isenburg was about to travel to Stolzenfels to collect his tolls. He was fearful that his thefts would be discovered and that he would be ruined. Gerhard’s daughter, Gertraud,, beseeched Lionardo to save her father, and Lionardo responded that only the death of a pure virgin could add enough force to his powers to enable her father to be spared.

Gertraud readied herself for death in a remote tower in the castle. As Lionardo raised his knife to kill her, Reinhard von Westerburg, captain of Conrad’s troops, intervened. He drove Lionardo away, and sought Gertraud’s hand in marriage. Gerhard, who had found out he had been robbed by Lionardo, protested that he lacked sufficient monies for a dowry. Reinhard then produced the stolen money, and the wedding took place.

Niederlahnstein

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Niederlahnstein, at the confluence of Rivers Lahn and Rhine, is noted for its machinery manufacture and shipbuilding. Earliest mention occurs in 1018, when it was part of the Archbishopric of Trier. It received its city charter in 1332, and was assigned to the Prussian province of Hesse-Nassau. A customs tower was built in 1348. During the Thirty Years’ War, it was occupied by a series of forces: Swedish, Imperial, Hessian and French. In 1688, nearby Burg Lahneck was destroyed by the French. Between 1795 and 1800, the castle was occupied by Austrians, Prussians, French and Russians. On January 1, 1815, part of the Russian Army crossed in the Rhine at Niederlahnstein on its way to engage Napoleon.

Its oldest church is the Johanniskirche, whose earliest mention occurs in the ninth century when it was consisted of one nave. The flat-roofed Romanesque five-bay basilica was built about 1130, and was a model for the churches in the area. It was destroyed several times and was left as a ruin after its destruction in the French Revolution. In 1857, it was restored in the Romanesque tradition. Its chapel, known as Allerheiligenberg was a centre for pilgrimage. Johanniskirche has the oldest gallery in the Middle Rhine district. St. John’s Abbey (Johanniskloster) is under the purview of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (Arnstein Fathers). St. Barbara’s is Niederlahnstein’s other Roman Catholic Church, and features a centuries-old cemetery