Page 361 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Germany

RHINELAND–P ALA TINA TE & SAARLAND  359

Limburg 8 Marksburg From 1117 this castle, which towers
over the Rhine and the small town of Braubach,
has been owned at different times by the von
Braubachs and the powerful Epstein family. The
Marksburg is the only castle along this stretch
of the Rhine which has never been damaged.
Bad Ems
Koblenz

Bad Ems

7 Loreley The Loreley Rock, onto which many
boats have been smashed by the strong currents,
has been a source of inspiration for many poets.
A 19th-century legend tells of a beautiful blonde
siren combing her hair and luring unlucky
sailors to their deaths with her song.

4 Pfalzgrafenstein In the middle of
the Rhine River stands the proud and
mighty fortress of Pfalzgrafenstein –
one of the most beautifully situated
castles in the Rhineland. Its origins date
back to 1326, but its present shape is
Limburg the result of Baroque refurbishments
in the 17th–18th centuries.

5 Bacharach The town has
a unique complex of historic
buildings, with fortified town
walls, the church of St Peter,
Oberwesel the ruins of the Gothic chapel
of St Werner, and Burg
Kaub
Stahleck – the castle towering
over the town which today
houses a youth hostel.
Lorch 6 Burg Sooneck In the 13th century,
Sooneck castle was the home of various
robber knights. The fortress fell into ruin
in the late 17th century, due to frequent
raids by the French. In the 19th century it
was bought by the Hohenzollerns, who
J rebuilt the castle in its original form.
Rüdesheim

Bingen Key
Motorway
Suggested route
Scenic route
River
Viewpoint
Kaiserslautern Mannheim
For hotels and restaurants in this area see p499 and pp524–5

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