Marksburg Castle

Almost every castle on the Middle Rhine was destroyed, mostly by French forces in the seventeenth century, and rebuilt in the nineteenth in romantic style. The Marksburg above Braubach was never taken and never demolished, so what stands is genuine medieval and early modern fabric rather than reconstruction; it is the only hill castle on the stretch of which that is true. Rooms shown include a kitchen, a great hall, a chapel, a herb garden of medieval plants and an armoury tracing armour development. It has been owned by the German Castles Association since 1900, which has its headquarters there. UNESCO listed the Upper Middle Rhine Valley in 2002.

What you actually see

• The unrebuilt fabric - genuine medieval work, unique on this stretch of river.
• The kitchen and hall - furnished rooms showing castle life.
• The herb garden - medieval plants including some poisonous ones, labelled.
• The armoury - a sequence showing armour development over centuries.

When to go

April to October; the castle is open year-round with reduced winter hours. Entry is guided-only in fixed groups. The climb from Braubach is steep.

Honest expectations

Visits are guided-only on a set route with no free wandering. The climb up is steep, though a shuttle runs. Groups can be large in season.

Nearby

Koblenz lies downstream; Boppard is upstream.