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CASTLE MARKSBURG
The Rhine’s surviving original Knight’s Castle

Marksburg is the only castle along the middle Rhine River to have survived completely intact since its medieval knight past. The other castles along the Rhine have been destroyed by sieges to some extent through the many wars, with the ones remaining that are more than ruins have been rebuilt over time especially in the revivalist 1700s to 1800s. (See Burg Reichenstein). Because of its position high on a promontory difficult to attack from any side Castle Marksburg has survived in much of its original form although with some later additions from 700 years of occupants. Located above the Rhine town of Braubach about half-way between Mainz and Koblenz on the east shore of the river, the castle is reached by a five minute walk from the car parking area or 25 minutes walk from the center of town. Between Easter and the 15th of October an entertainment shuttle service in the form of a rideable train runs from the Braubach Old Town up to the castle.

First built in the 13th Century as a holding of the Palatinate, the property passed to the Landgraves of Hesse in the 1400’s. Phillip II of Hesse-Rheinfels built a second residence in town, Castle Philippsburg where the European Castle Institute is now located with 25,000 volumes on castles of Europe located almost directly below Marksburg. (See Castle Institute Philippsburg). Marksburg Castle which gets its name from the St. Mark’s Chapel (Markuskapelle) in the first floor of the chapel tower, one of the earliest constructions of the castle. There are four gates approaching the castle starting with the drawbridge gate then passing through a 25 meter tunnel fortified with seven guns. Continuing across a wooden bridge which could be withdrawn there was a pit fall, then a staircase carved in the stone abutement leading to the battery yard, then finally through an iron gate into the inner castle yard.

Once serving as a fortress for enforcing tax levies along the Rhein River lands as Rheinstein was lower down (See Burg Rheinstein), Castle Marksburg later served as a prison under the Hesse Landgraves, evidenced by the barred windows. Since the middle ages prisoners were thrown into the dungeon through the “Angstloch” the Hole of Fear. Today the German Castle Association maintains a display of medaeval torture instruments in the torture chamber cellar. The Gothic Hall has an impressive open fireplace big enough to walk in. The castle also displays an exhibition of armor and armament over the ages and has a small restaurant above the drawbridge gate. The Castle has a small restaurant (Burgschänke) with terrace views of the meandering Rhein. © Bargain Travel Europe

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SEE ALSO:

BURG RÖTTELN
Castle in Autumn Baden-Wurttemburg

ART AND AUGUSTINER
Castle Art Museum in the Bavarian Alps

LUFTWAFFE MEMORIES
Deutsches Museum and A Stroll Down Heinkel Lane

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