Katz Castle

Katz Castle (Burg Katz) in Sankt Goarshausen is one of the landmark castles of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and it sits on a rocky spur right above the river. Built in the 14th century as a rival to nearby Maus Castle, it is privately owned today and can only be admired from the outside. The good news: the Rhine offers several superb viewpoints for it.

The story behind "Cat and Mouse"

The Counts of Katzenelnbogen had the castle built between roughly 1360 and 1371 to protect their lands and their toll station across the river at St. Goar. It was also a direct response to the Trier archbishops' castle at Wellmich, which locals soon nicknamed "Maus" (mouse). The long name Neukatzenelnbogen was shortened to "Katz" (cat), and the pair became famous as "Katz und Maus".

The castle passed to the Landgraves of Hesse in 1479 and suffered in 17th-century sieges and wars. In 1806 Napoleon's troops blew it up. A romantic rebuilding in 1898 and 1899 turned the ruin into a residence, and a Japanese owner has held it since 1989. Its compact footprint is striking: the original keep was about 40 meters tall.

Can you go inside?

No. The castle is private property and, according to the World Heritage association of the Upper Middle Rhine, can only be viewed from outside. There are no tickets or opening hours, and we know of no public tours.

Best viewpoints

• Three Castles Viewpoint (Drei-Burgen-Blick) above Sankt Goarshausen: Katz, Maus and Rheinfels castles together.
• Loreley rock: the overlooks show Katz Castle across the valley.
• Rhine river cruise: the castle looks most dramatic from the water, and it is lit up during the "Rhine in Flames" fireworks festival.

How to get there

Sankt Goarshausen lies on the right-bank Rhine railway, and the castle is about 1.1 km (a walk of 15 minutes or more) from the station. A ferry connects St. Goar on the opposite bank. By car it is roughly 90 km and about 1.5 hours from Frankfurt, and about 140 km from Cologne. The valley is narrow and parking is tight, so a day trip by train is easier.

Combine it with Maus Castle in Wellmich, just under 3 km away, Rheinfels Castle in St. Goar and the Loreley.