Landscapes on the Rhine, castles n stuff.

The Rhine River flows to the sea through one of Germany’s most scenic regions,-Mittelrhein- The Middle Rhine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

being on a boat seems a great way to see vineyard-blanketed hills, small intimate towns, castles and churches along the river the banks.

Since the early 19th century, when the upper class twits of the british empire went on their grand tours The Rhine Valley has been a magnet ever since.

Hirzenach am Rhein is a small village, its monastery dates back to the 11th century. It is part of the area famed for its Reisling wine.

Constructed over a 30 year period from 1356 the Burg Maus was built to enforce tolls on boat traffic along the River Rhine as well as being a residence of the Archbishops of Trier.

In the 16th century it fell into disrepair and remained so until it was bought and restored at the beginning of the 20th century. It was also repaired again afetr the Aliies bombed the crap out of the region in 1944

Burg Rheinfels is a castle mainly in ruins on the west bank of the Rhine in Sankt Goar. Started in 1245 by Count somebody or other, it became the largest fortress in the Middle Rhein Valley.

Some of the outer buildings comprise a luxury hotel, wellness centre, and restaurant.

Burg Katz sits on a rocky ledge above the town of Sankt Goarshausen It was first built around 1370 Napoleon bombarded it in the early 19th century, it was left in ruins until it was rebuilt at the turn of the century, it is now privately owned

Oberwessel am Rhein a small hamlet with a population of under 3,000, it has history that dates back to the Roman period

Who would believe that a small town would have six museums and eight various religious bits.

St Martins also known as the White Church, the most prominent of the religious bits

Overlooking the town of Oberwesel, a rather grandly named building which is now a hotel. With free fucking wifi whoop de doo! is there a hotel in the known world that charges for wi-fi?

But it would offer rather splendid views

Taking your current playmate for a bit of romance, would cost you £415 a night, for a deluxe suite with private sauna, extra large double bed and scenic views, oh and yes the most important bit "breakfast included"

Pfalzgrafenstein Castle in the foreground was originally constructed as a toll station; a large, metal chain ran from the castle walls to the land on either side. Any person passing through would have been halted by the chains and had to hand over their toll in order to continue on their way.

Those who failed to pay were thrown into the castle’s dungeon. Toll collection ceased at the end of the 19th century in 1867 and today it stands as a museum

It is a 20th Century reconstruction of a 12th century fortress, during the period of 1940 to 1942, it served as a military hospital.

From January 1943, the castle was used by the Nazi Party as an internment camp for members of its German youth who had shown insufficient loyalty to the Party. It is now a youth hostel

A catholic church dedicated to an English monk

Another reconstructed former grand fortress, now a hotel, £336 a night with an "exceptional breakfast" "free toiletries" and a fucking kettle in your room.

It was constructed in the 14th century

Dating back to the 13th century the castle stands at 270ft above the river

Since 1975, it has been privately owned by the opera singer Herman Hecher, who restored the castle over a 20 year period.

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