We spent the morning of Thursday, July 27, cruising the Middle Rhine Valley from Rudesheim to Koblenz. This most picturesque stretch of the Romantic Rhine, with its numerous castles and vineyards, was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the afternoon, we selected an optional bus trip that took us beside the Moselle River into the wine country that produces some of the finest Rieslings in the world.
Day 12, Thursday, July 27
At our evening session the previous night, the ship’s program director Marie had prepared us for today’s cruising sights. For the most part we would be in the section of the Rhine River that is stacked with history and stories. The next morning starting about 9 a.m., Marie was on deck doing a running commentary on the sights on both shores. It seemed that every bend had a unique village and river frontage guarded at a strategic point by a castle. We soon learned that this 50-mile section of the Middle Rhine had more than 40 castles and fortresses.
To mark the beginning of this morning tour, Marie pointed out what is called the Germania statue. It is a monument that was constructed in the 1870s to commemorate the unification of the German Empire after the end of the Franco-Prussian War. This was when the Germanic tribes came together as a nation-state to defeat Napoleon III and France.
At a narrow part in the river we passed by a rock tower on an island, and learned that it was a toll station. The archbishops of Mainz built the tower, probably in the 13th century. The Mauseturm Tower is one of many Rhine River toll stations, built in the middle ages as a source of local taxation, or as some viewed it, an elaborate extortion scheme. Those in control of the towers were widely reviled for abusing their positions of authority and extracting unsanctioned fees from passing boats based on their cargo. There are even stories of piracy, kidnapping, and the stealing of entire ships.
This particular tower is named the “Mauseturm” or mouse toll tower. Legend has it that the stingy Archbishop Hatto had been eaten by mice after being confined in this tower because he had burned starving people. That's the short story. The longer story is this:
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Over a thousand years ago, Bishop Hatto lived as a prince and amassed a fortune collecting his share as Lord of the land from the peasants who farmed the lands. He was a greedy man and built a stone tower on a small island in the river from which he would stop passing ships to collect tribute. He would also collect fees from those who had to traverse his land if they did not go by river. His pockets were almost as full as his storehouses of foods and wine. He became very wealthy, but as it happens, major rains occurred causing flooding and ruining his crops and vineyards. The poor people around him suffered more as he continued to demand land tribute and river taxes from all during this time.
The villagers, as a last resort, went to him and begged for food and supplies from his vast stockpiles. He laughed and stated he would rather share his stockpile with the mice. This angered the villagers and they assaulted the palace. The Bishop, fearing for his life, quickly directed them to a large barn with the promise of food. As the villagers entered the barn he locked them inside and ordered the barn set ablaze. It burned slowly killing the trapped villagers. However, several thousand mice inside the barn escaped the flames and migrated to the palace in search of food. As they consumed the food in the palace, Bishop Hatto began to panic and fled for the stone tower in the middle of the river. He assumed the mice would be unable to cross the river. As he crossed the river to the stone tower, the mice followed. Hundreds of mice drowned in the river, while hundreds more successfully made it across in their frenzied quest for edible food.The mice trapped Hatto in the tower and eventually ate him alive. So in the end he got what he said he wanted. He shared his last food source, not with the peasants, but with the mice.
And so we continued on up the river with more stories to come….
Mixing the present with the ancient past
The Ehrenfels Castle, together with the Mauseturm and the Klopp Castle, formed a northward barrier since the 13th century, and protected the territory of the archbishopric of Mainz. It too was a toll station and an important monetary resource for the bishops and the church. This castle, which was used in times of war as a hiding place for the cathedral treasury of Aachen, was extensively damaged in 1689 and has not been rebuilt.
River front property was just as valuable in the 13th century as it is now. Then, however, it was fought over because the castle toll keepers would stop your boat and expect a fee to be paid if you wanted to pass by. It appears that inland travel was so dangerous that the merchants had no choice but to pay the fee.
Castle Furstenberg 1219
Rheinstein Castle is located at a strategic site between Bingen and Trechtingshausen, which marks the south end of the area known as the Middle Rhine. The castle was constructed about 1316, and by the late 1600s it was very dilapidated. During the romantic period in the 19th century, Prince Frederick of Prussia bought the castle and it was rebuilt.
Rheinstein Castle
It was very difficult to keep pace on this part of the Rhine with the scenery that we were encountering. The sights were quickly appearing, one castle or town after the another.
The Rhine was formed by the melting snowfields from high in the Alps that carved the waterways and left mountainous outcrops that could be used as defensible fortresses against one’s enemies. As our ship penetrated the snaking waterway, I felt as if I was going back into time and at any point I expected to see on the the water’s edge massed camps of medieval armies holding siege to the heights .
On your left…
Reichenstein Castle near Trechtingshausen is an excellent example of Rhine Romanticism. The castle's earliest fortifications date to the 11th century. It was owned by a robber baron. Over the centuries, Reichenstein was destroyed and rebuilt at least three times before the latest round of restorations at the end of the 19th century. It is now a museum. We liked the juxtaposition of this huge castle and the RV park by the river. As the saying goes, “a man’s home is his castle,” and we identify with an RV as our castle!
Reichenstein Castle
And of course there is a story…
Sir Diethelm of Burg Rheinstem was not rich or too smart and he often missed opportunities to enhance his wealth. The one great richness he did have was in the beauty of his daughter Gerda. Once Gerda reached marrying age, her father dreamed of finding rich suitor who would share his fortune with him upon marriage to his daughter.
Now there was a young man named Helmbrecht, the good-looking eldest son of the old Knight of Sternberg Castle. Helmbrecht went to his uncle, Gunzelin of Burg Reichenstein, and asked him to speak to Gerda's father on his behalf. Gunzelin was a grey-haired, somewhat ugly, and bitter old man who possessed a vast fortune. At their first meeting, Gunzelin found Gerda so beautiful he asked for her hand in marriage himself. Not wanting another opportunity for riches to escape him again, Gerda's father agreed to their marriage. However, Gerda became quite distraught upon discovering the identity of her future husband. The young girl went to the castle garden and broke into tears.
Gerda’s tears attracted the attention of a water-nymph who lived in a small stream flowing near the castle. The water-nymph sympathized with Gerda's sadness and knew what needed to be done.
On the day of the wedding, the bride and groom began their journey to St. Clement's Chapel. This route included a hornet's nest firmly entrenched at the side of the road. As the couple approached it, the water-nymph threw a jagged rock right into the hornet's nest. As a result, the hornets swarmed and began stinging Gunzelin’s horse. The horse stood on his hind legs and threw Gunzelin over a cliff to his death. Gerda was rescued by Helmbrecht, who was wallowing in his sorrow near the chapel.
A week later, Gerda von Rheinstein married Helmbrecht in the St. Clement's Chapel, and they lived a long happy life together.
Now on your right…
Schonburg Castle overlooks the medieval town of Oberwesel. The romantic castle dates to the early 10th century, but the original structure was burned down in 1689 by the French army. It remained in its ruined state until a German-American family bought the castle and restored it 200 years later. The town of Oberwesel regained ownership of the castle in 1950, and in 1957 it became a private family home and hotel.
Schonburg Castle
Shortly thereafter…
The region of the Rhine near Koblenz got its name from another tale of feminine guile and the supernatural. Here the river curves sharply and the swift current grows treacherous. Steep rocks jut skyward from the river’s edge.The strong currents around the rocks have caused many maritime accidents.
The Lorelei Rock
According to legend, it was here that the beautiful siren Lorelei sat and sang sweet songs, luring sailors to their doom against the rocks. Just upriver from the rock is the 16′ Lorelei statue, which was created in bronze by Natascha Alexandrova in 1983.
The name Lorelei comes from Old German and Celtic and means “murmuring rock.” In German literature, this gave rise to stories of Lore Lay, a beautiful blond maiden betrayed by her sweetheart. Lore Lay fell – or jumped – off the Lorelei Rock in her grief. It is said that her voice can still be heard in the murmurs of the river as it passes the rock. The story is that Lorelei’s voice and beauty distracted sailors, causing their deaths.
Lorelei Statue
Upon these rocks, according to legend, a woman of otherworldly beauty materialized each evening. Her name was Lorelei and her sweet plaintive song deafened boatmen to the river’s thundering roar.
When the men regained their senses it was too late. They could no longer steer clear of the rocks nor keep the jealous waves from swamping their boats. And the beautiful Lorelei, over the cries of drowning sailors, would continue her silent chanting until the morning sun’s rays lightened the night time sky. One of the most famous poems of Lorelei has this as its ending verse:
I think that the waves will devour
The boatman and boat as one;
And this by her song’s sheer power
Fair Lorelei has done.
– Heinrich Heine
A few miles downriver, on the east bank of the Rhine, a high cone shaped hill rises above the quiet hamlet of Braubach. The castle crowning the hill has an unusually slender keep towering above its attendant courts and ramparts. Its walls are triangular and built so close to the hill’s edge that in places it's hard to see where the rocks end and the walls begin. While it is a massive and presumably easy target, this castle alone remained unscaled by enemy attacks. This is the Marksburg Castle.
Marksburg Castle
Marksburg Castle sits above the town of Braubach and is the only one of the 40 hilltop castles on the Middle Rhine that was never conquered. Prior to its current name of Marksburg, the castle was known as Burg Braubach. It was built in the early 12th century by the Eppsteins, a powerful family in the region, with several members later becoming archbishops. Today it is owned by the German Castle Association, which seeks to preserve castles throughout the nation.
Which reminds me of another tale…
It was in those olden days that a beautiful maiden named Elizabeth lived at the Castle Braubach.
A young knight named Siegbert von Lahnstein had won Elizabeth's heart and they were to be married. An order came for all land-owners and knights to participate in the war against Bohemia. The war ended with the area Noblemen returning to their homes. Unfortunately, Siegbert was not among them.
A young monk called Brother Mark arrived at the castle to provide comfort through this difficult time. Brother Mark was named after his Patron Saint, Saint Mark the Apostle, for whom the castle's chapel was dedicated.
Approximately a year later, a young gentleman in black armor claiming to be a cousin of the deceased Siegbert appeared. The individual, Rochus von Andechs, quickly claimed the inheritance, which gave him ownership of Burg Lahneck and its castle. He soon went to Burg Braubach to ask for Elizabeth's hand in marriage.
Elizabeth, who had not yet recovered from the loss of Siegbert, felt something was not right about Rochus. His lack of compassion failed to win Elizabeth's heart. She admitted to the monk that Rochus made a favorable impression but her instincts warned her to remain cautious, that something about him was not right. The monk felt the same. As a result of this distrust, Rochus held a deep resentment for the monk. Elizabeth's father, however, urged his daughter to marry the Black Knight. In response, Elizabeth reluctantly agreed.
On the night before the wedding, the monk went to the castle chapel and prayed to St. Mark for Elizabeth's happiness and the safety of her soul. He sensed she was in danger and knew divine intervention was needed to protect her. In a flash of blinding light, St. Mark appeared before the monk. He told the monk that Rochus belonged to the Prince of Darkness. He gave Brother Mark a holy cross and told him to touch Rochus with it.
The following day, Elizabeth and Rochus came to the chapel for the wedding. The monk Mark thrust the cross against the chest of Rochus. Rochus slumped to the earth, whereupon it opened up and swallowed him.
From that day forth, Burg Braubach castle has worn the name of the saving Saint, and is called Marksburg.
In this photo, one of our sister Viking ships is docked below the Castle Marksburg.
There are two other interesting neighboring castles in this area, one called the Maus and the other Katz. They were truly built following the challenge of “keeping up with the Joneses,” as one grew, so did the other. When one got a cannon, the other reinforced its defenses.
Maus (mouse) Castle and Katz (cat) Castle
Further on…
High above the Rhine River near Kamp-Bornhofen stand two mighty castles of close proximity, Burg Sterrenberg and Burg Liebenstein, separated by a stone wall. In the beginning Burg Sterrenberg was enough for the noble lords who took their name from it. This changed during the time of the knight Werner of Sterrenberg, a widower who lived in the castle with his two young sons. The elder of the sons was called Henry and his young brother was Konrad, who was developing into a hothead and fighter. Konrad was a born knight, while his older brother would have made a better monk. The law of inheritance, however, required that the older brother would become lord of the castle when the father died.
The brothers, Henry and Konrad, never quarreled with each other as children, despite being different in temperament. The all-male household in the fortress of Sterrenberg lasted for twelve years, until Werner, the father, was invited to the funeral feast of the Bromser of Rudesheim. The deceased had also lost his wife at an early age and had brought up their only child alone. This child was a twelve-year-old girl named Angela who was brought back to Burg Sterrenberg with Werner and quickly became the center of attention in this once-womanless household.
A few years passed and Konrad began to show lots of interest in Angela and began to woo her. Henry’s eyes also lit up when he saw her, though he would still not dare tie the ribbon in her hair when she asked him to. Being the eldest son, the father encouraged Henry to woo Angela, which he eventually produced the nerve to do. It soon became apparent to Henry that Konrad also liked her.
Sterrenberg Castle
From that moment on, Angela was between two fires. The more she blossomed, the more important it became that she choose between the two young suitors. It was a difficult choice as Konrad had more spirit but Henry was the heir. In the end she chose Henry. But Konrad was not one to back down and doubled his efforts to win her over by any means. All this did not go unnoticed by the father who weighed a thousand possibilities of sending his younger son away for a while.
In the end, a solution arrived without his help as Bernhard of Clairvaux showed up along the Rhine, seeking young recruits to join him on a crusade. Werner forbade his heir to go, but Konrad took up the banner to join him. Before heading off, Konrad sought out Angela, who asked him “Will I see you again?” Konrad answered, ”If you promise to wait for me, then certainly.” She then asked “And you will keep your heart free for me?” This was the fatal question. With “Heart and Hand” he swore that he would never have another.
Konrad headed off, and in time Henry began wooing Angela again as his father wished. Things did not go as planned as Angela was not willing to break her word to Konrad. In fact, she did not want to hear of any new suitors and spent the days wishing for Konrad’s return. The father eventually resigned himself to the inevitable and built a second castle for Konrad and called it Liebenstein.
Liebenstein Castle
Five years later, a ship sailed down the Rhine, its sails decorated with the sign of the crusader knights. In the bow stood a knight in black armor who was astonished to see the newly built castle above and wanted to wave his hand, when he saw a black flag flying above the tower of Burg Sterrenberg. He knew at once that his father was dead.
Standing next to Konrad on the boat stood an exotic beauty with black hair and glowing eyes. This woman from Greece had helped him escape from the Saracens holding him prisoner, but it was not only gratitude that caused Konrad to bring her home as his wife. Konrad knew Angela had once changed her feelings and the idea that she could be true to him for five years never occurred to him. He came home assuming she had married his brother.
With the Greek woman on his hand, he stepped upon the drawbridge of Burg Sterrenberg and saw under the high archway the coffin with the body of his father. He drew his sword to pay his last respects, but his brother Henry, mistook the gesture and drew his sword falling upon his brother. But there was more to his attack than a mistaken gesture, as Henry was harboring hatred for the more fortunate brother, wrath for the years of his thwarted love, and the desire for satisfaction on the part of the abandoned bride Angela.
Angela was overcome. Her heart was breaking. Sorrow due to the loss of her father figure, the disappointment in her love and faithfulness, and now the two brothers trying to kill each other was simply too much to take. She threw herself between the swords, nearly falling victim herself. Both brothers turned aside and sheathed their swords. Alone, as custom dictated, they followed the body of their father to the grave. Alone, they each entered the castle which belonged to them and locked the doors.
The stone fence between the two castles
Angela went to the convent, becoming a nun.Years later Henry took another woman for his wife. Konrad built the famous “Quarrel Wall” between the two castles of Sterrenberg and Liebenstein. This wall, which still stands today, was built by Konrad to prevent them from killing each other. The wall still remains as did the hatred of what is now called the Legend of the Hostile Brothers.
We have only documented by picture and text a few of the stories that we heard as we traveled up the Rhine River. There are many more that you could take this trip to learn.
We docked that afternoon at Koblenz and several of us took a 3-hour bus tour up the winding Moselle River valley. This area has a wine-making history that dates back nearly 2,000 years to Roman times and is known for its exceptional wineries.
The river has cut a deep valley and terraced vineyards climb the steep slopes. The south-facing slopes store the sun’s warmth in slate soil and the abundant sunshine make the Moselle Valley an ideal grape-growing region.
We stopped at a small overlook at the edge of vineyards that gave us a different perspective of the vineyards, river, and village below.
Our primary destination was the Weyh Weingut (winery) in the town of Winninger. This winery and its vineyards have been owned by the same family for centuries, dating back to the year 1604.
Rather than destroy the house or relocate the road, they just made room for the road.
The current patriarch of the family hosted us for a tasting of several of their award-winning Rieslings.
We both like Rieslings, and the offerings we sampled ranged from dry to semi-sweet. People often think of Riesling as being a sweet wine, but that is only one type.
We arrived back at the ship in time for the “Taste of Germany” buffet. The staff members were dressed in the traditional German attire.
The women were attired in dirndls and the men in lederhosen.
Debbie and Daisy posed for a photo with Filip, our favorite bartender.
Most of the photos we have shared of the food on the ship highlight the wonderful presentation. When you serve yourself at a generous buffet, the presentation definitely suffers, but the choices were delicious.
Our personal selections:
Just to note: the larger plate serving is Daisy’s—she has the German heritage. But I went back for seconds.
To accompany the buffet, Daisy selected a local dark lager, which paired very well with the German food offerings. I selected the lighter-tasting Kolsch.
During the meal, we were entertained by two musicians, which provided a pleasant ending to a wonderful day. The musician on the right is operating a barrel organ that has a wheel-turning handle, which rotated a disk like in a player piano.
It had been a great day of castles, vineyards, wine tasting, foods, and music. The next day, we would be in Cologne.
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