Schloss Stolzenfels

Located just outside of Koblenz, Germany, is the Stolzenfels Castle. We had taken the train from Frankfurt to Koblenz, so we had to take a taxi to get to the grounds of the castle, but it was one of the sights that we wanted to see while we were in Koblenz. The area around the castle is a park with plenty of walking trails and it is a very steep hike to make your way up to the castle itself. Needless to say, there are a lot of castles in Germany, especially along the Rhine River, but we found this one to be different than most of the others that we had seen. First of all, the walls of the castle, which was later turned into a palace, are white instead of the typical gray stones. The other thing that stands out are the spires of the cathedral that is part of the castle complex.

Gothic Cathedral
First Glimpse of the Castle
Entrance to the Palace
Castle Tower

It is clear from the dramatic views of the river valley as to why they would have chosen this location for the castle. The castle was originally built to protect the toll station on the river collecting money from ships transporting goods through the region. Over time it was extended several times and occupied by both the French and the Swiss. It was destroyed during the Nine Years’ War and then eventually rebuilt as a palace in the 1800’s by Crownprince Frederick William IV. The gothic chapel was completed in 1845 and was visited by Queen Victoria.

View from the Castle
View from Below
Small Garden
Guarding the Rhine Valley

The castle is open to the public and can be toured, but unfortunately for us, there were no English tours available as it was off-season and a Sunday, so tour times were limited. Even without getting to see the inside of the castle, it was well worth the strenuous hike to see the castle and the views of the Rhine Valley. The Upper Middle Rhine Valley, where Schloss Stolzenfels resides, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002.

Approaching the Castle
Castle Entrance
Climbing the Stairs
Stunning Views

Just strolling the grounds of the park is well worth the visit and seemed to be a favorite pastime of locals. One could imagine the impression of guests as the passed through the impressive guardhouse on their way up summit and the grand palace entranceway. Unfortunately we didn’t have our own horse-drawn carriage and locating a taxi to return to Koblenz turned out to be almost impossible. Fortunately, the taxi driver who had dropped us off had given us his business card and we were able to call him and have him come and get us. It took about an hour for him to arrive, but that didn’t diminish how impressed we were with Schloss Stolzenfels.

Guardhouse
Bridge Leading to the Guardhouse
Walking through the Park
Hiking Back Down

 

Weekend in Koblenz

Walking Along the Rhine River

Trying to go to different places every weekend has definitely been exhausting and we haven’t had the time to fully describe all of the things that we have seen during our first month here in Germany. This weekend was no exception as we decided to spend two days in Koblenz. It was a relatively short train ride, about an hour and a half, but also one of the most beautiful rides that we’ve ever been on. Following the Rhine river as it winds through the mountains, trees in full Autumn color, and castles every 10 minutes, it was truly spectacular and Koblenz was equally wonderful.

Looking Across the Rhine River
Clock Tower
Fortress Wall

There was definitely plenty to see and Koblenz is definitely worth a full weekend to truly enjoy all that it has to offer. Both days started with fog and clouds, but by mid-day the sun was dominant in the sky, which made the experience that much more enjoyable. We will go into greater detail when we have more time to fully describe the places that we’ve seen, but we wanted to at least provide a flavor of what Koblenz has to offer. Walking along the Rhine river is an amazing experience and every direction that you looked there were stunning views.

The Four Corners of Germany
Schloss Stolzenfels
Riding the Cable Car

Of course there are castles, we started to laugh at how common the sight of castles has become even in this short time in Germany. Walking is something else that we have become quite accustomed to, but our legs are tired from all of the stairs that we climbed in order to see the main attractions in Koblenz. There are also a couple of fortresses that are fascinating and a cable car across the Rhine provides spectacular views. The old town, Altstadt in German, was one of the largest that we have seen so far and provided plenty of opportunities for food and drink, which we took full opportunity of.

Statue Outside of a Castle
Old Building in Koblenz
View of the Fortress

We are missing Halloween here as apparently they don’t really celebrate it and obviously we will miss Thanksgiving as well. It seems odd to us to be going straight into the Christmas season, but since that is what is surrounding us, we will just have to embrace it. We are certainly looking forward to the Christmas markets as we keep hearing about how magical they are here in Germany. We haven’t made plans for the upcoming weekend, but with any luck, it will be as wonderful as the time that we spent in Koblenz.

Castle Entrance
Another Fortress Wall
Fountain in the Town Square