Crass Castle

Burg Crass, also known as Schloss Rheinberg, is located on the banks of the Rhine in Eltville am Rhein in the Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis, at the town's exit towards Walluf. It is considered the oldest preserved building in the city.

Burg Crass, a former free court, was located outside the city wall erected in 1332. It is possible that a former Roman villa was already located at this site. Dendrochronological investigations have shown that parts of the timber used were felled as early as 1096.

The castle served as a residence for the Mainz family Judens and later came into the possession of Knight Philipp Münch von Lindau. In 1496, the owner gave the castle to his daughter Anna upon her marriage to Knight Johann Frei von Dehrn, and it was converted into a manor house.

During the Thirty Years' War, the court was destroyed by fire. After changing owners, Count Carlomann von Grunne had the overgrown property redesigned in Neo-Gothic style, and the 12-acre estate with a large park was named "Schloss Rheinberg".

Later, a consortium of Eltville citizens built the "Villa Rheinberg" on the grounds, and in 1873 the Crass family took over the castle house, establishing the restaurant "Burg Crass".

In 1913, Jean Iffland jr. bought the castle with its restaurant. Two world wars and a major fire in 1923 necessitated thorough renovation: it was not until 1953 that the restaurant resumed operation.

In 1970, the castle came into the possession of the city of Eltville as a legacy. After several leases, the building stood empty since 1988. In 1996, the long-established sparkling wine producer Schloss Vaux took over the castle and extensively renovated the buildings under the supervision of the State Office for Monument Preservation.