Rheinfels Castle is located on the left bank of the Rhine above St. Goar, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Built in 1245 by Diether V of Katzenelenbogen it served as toll castle and was regarded as the largest fortress in the Middle Rhine Valley. The collection of toll broke the general peace, which led to a siege of the castle, but otherwise it didn’t have any further implications.
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More InformationAround 1360, the castle was substantially expanded and a 54 m high castle keep, the highest in Germany, was errected. It allowed unobstructed view of the Hunsrück and Taunus. After the death of the last heir of the dynasty the castle fell to Hesse.
After another inheritance disputes between Hesse-Kassel and Hesse-Darmstadt, after a siege the castle was handed over to Hesse-Darmstadt, later reconquered by Hesse-Kassel and divided again after a compromise was reached.
Ernst of Hesse Rheinfels-Rotenburg made Rheinfels Castle his residence and expanded the castle to a fortress, which was directed against France.
Due to financial difficulties, he concluded a secret treaty with the French king Louis XIV, who provided high pension payments against the cession of the castle. Prince Charles of Hesse-Kassel learned about it and conquered the castle in the surprise coup.
Despite repeated siege, the castle could be kept. In the Seven Years’ War it was passed to the French troops without a fight. In 1796 the castle was blown up by French revolutionary troops.
Today, Rheinfels Castle houses the Romantic Hotel Rheinfels Castle* and serves as well as a scenery for the medieval castle celebration.
Since 2002, Rheinfels Castle is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Upper Middle Rhine Valley.
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