Rhine River Castles
by Pamela Newcomb
Title
Rhine River Castles
Artist
Pamela Newcomb
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
Pfalzgrafenstein Castle (foreground) is a toll castle on the Falkenau Island, otherwise known as Pfalz Island in the Rhine River. This former stronghold is famous for its picturesque and unique setting. The keep of this island castle, a pentagonal tower with its point upstream, was erected 1326 to 1327 by King Ludwig the Bavarian. Around the tower, a defensive hexagonal wall was built in 1338-1340. Later additions were made in 1607 and 1755, consisting of corner turrets, the gun bastion pointing upstream, and the baroque tower cap. The castle was a toll-collecting station. It worked in concert with Gutenfels Castle (hillside), built in 1220, and the fortified town of Kaub on the right side of the river. Every vessel had to float downstream between the fortress on the left and the town and castle on the right. A chain across the river forced ships to submit, and uncooperative traders could be kept in the dungeon until a ransom was delivered. The dungeon was a wooden float in the well. Unlike the majority of Rhine castles, it was never conquered or destroyed, withstanding not only wars, but also ice and floods in the river. Its Spartan quarters held about twenty men. Today, it is a museum.
Germany, September 2015
Uploaded
December 14th, 2015
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Viewed 133 Times - Last Visitor from Fairfield, CT on 04/25/2024 at 1:06 AM
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Comments (1)
Stephen Killeen
Wonderful shot... with a great perspective... I especially enjoy seeing the old Gutenfels Castle up on the hill! I love old castles... fabulous work Pamela! :)) L/F
Pamela Newcomb replied:
Stephen - thank you for favoriting Rhine River Castles! I loved seeing the castles and hillsides from the water level. It made me appreciate how tough it would have to avoid the tolls here. This was a two for one shot that I had to take! :)
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