Ok, couldn't resist the temptation to throw in the Neil Young lyric - but today, no castles were burning. My sister Lisa visited us in early July and we managed to bring her to two castles and attend two festivals - Schierstein Harbor Fest and the Mainz Beer Fest - while she was here for a week. This beautiful castle on the Rhine - Schoenberg Castle in Oberwesel - is just up the Rhine from Wiesbaden. Schoenberg, like many castles along this part of the "romantic" Rhine river, are situated on a hilltop overlooking the river. This is because these landowners charged tolls to any traffic along the river back in the day.
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| View from the top of Schoenberg Castle looking North |
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| The absolutely charming restaurant within the castle walls with many alfresco dining areas and views of the Rhine |
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| Another charming spot to dine on a less rainy day! |
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| A patio inside the castle but open to the air. |
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| Mary and Lisa enjoying the view in between cloud bursts. |
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| View along the east bank of the Rhine with another castle looming over the river. |
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| The river is still used for barge traffic but also for tourism. |
This stunning view of the Eltz Castle is seen only after a hike down into this beautful valley. The Eltz family controlled a section of the Mosel River which enters the Rhine at Koblenz. It was built in the 12th century and has the same charm as King Ludwig's 3 castles in Bavaria. It's so well preserved because it never got destroyed by enemies or allied bombing. Where it's situated in the valley protected it from barbarians with fire-throwing catapults.
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| This charming couple posed for pictures for us. |
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| You get a better idea of the size of the castle from this view. |
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| Inside the castle grounds where the multiple Eltz families were safe from intruders. |
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