Rheinstein Castle

The origins of Rheinstein Castle date back to the early 14th century when it was built as Vaitzburg or Fautsburg. Dendrochronological investigations date the start of construction to 1316/17. First mentioned in 1323 as a Mainz possession, it likely served to monitor the prohibition of rebuilding the nearby Reichenstein Castle, which had been destroyed in 1286. After a second expansion phase around 1330 and another in the late 15th century, the castle lost its strategic importance. Decay began at the end of the 16th century, and during the Palatinate War of Succession, it escaped demolition due to its dilapidated state. In 1823, Prince Frederick of Prussia acquired the ruin and had it rebuilt in the style of Rhine Romanticism from 1825 to 1829, receiving its current name. A third expansion phase from 1839 to 1844 added the castle chapel and the Swiss House. After changing hands among Prussian nobility, the castle was acquired by opera singer Hermann Hecher in 1975 and extensively renovated.