Rheinfels Castle

Rheinfels Castle was built around 1245 by Diether V. of Katzenelnbogen as a toll castle for ships on the Rhine. As early as 1256, it came into conflict with citizens of Mainz due to the collection of tolls, but a siege by the Rhenish League of Cities was unsuccessful, establishing its reputation as impregnable. In the 13th century, it became the residence of the Lower County of Katzenelnbogen. Between 1360 and 1370, Count Wilhelm II extensively expanded the core castle, with the keep reaching a height of 54 meters. Around 1370, Burg Katz was built on the opposite side of the Rhine to collect the St. Goar double toll. After the reunification of the counties in 1402, Rheinfels remained a residence and experienced a period of courtly life in the 15th century under Count Johann III and his son Philipp. After the line died out, the castle fell to Landgrave Heinrich III of Hesse-Marburg in 1479. Philipp the Magnanimous of Hesse had the castle converted into a Renaissance palace around 1570. During the Thirty Years' War, the castle changed hands several times between Hesse-Darmstadt and Hesse-Kassel.