Marksburg Castle

Marksburg Castle above the town of Braubach is the only medieval hilltop castle on the Middle Rhine that was never destroyed, which makes it a must-see on any trip through the Rhine Gorge. Perched high above the river in the UNESCO-listed Upper Middle Rhine Valley, it looks exactly like a storybook castle, and its interiors show how people actually lived, cooked and defended themselves in the Middle Ages. It is also the headquarters of the German Castles Association, which has owned it since 1900.

Why Marksburg is special

Built in the 13th century by the Lords of Eppstein and expanded by the Counts of Katzenelnbogen from 1283, the castle takes its name from a chapel dedicated to St. Mark, first recorded in 1437. While most Rhine castles were wrecked in wars and later rebuilt as romantic ruins or 19th-century fantasies, Marksburg survived intact, though American artillery did damage it in March 1945. The German Castles Association bought it in 1900 for a symbolic 1,000 gold marks with the backing of Kaiser Wilhelm II and restored it to its late medieval appearance. Since 2002 it has been part of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley World Heritage Site.

What you'll see on the tour

Visits are by guided tour only, lasting about 50 minutes. Highlights include:

• the riders' staircase lined with the coats of arms of former owners
• the castle kitchen and the knights' hall
• the chapel, a blacksmith's forge and a wine cellar
• a torture chamber and a collection of suits of armor
• two artillery batteries with views down to the Rhine

Don't skip the herb garden, planted with around 170 medieval plants.

Tickets and opening hours

As of October 2026, according to the castle:

• Summer season (March 21 to November 1, 2026): daily 10 am–5 pm, last tour at 5 pm
• Winter season (from November 2): daily 11 am–4 pm, last tour at 4 pm; closed December 24 and 25
• Adults €12, children up to 15 €8, under 6 free, family ticket €24

English-language tours run daily in summer at about 11 or 11:30 am, 1 pm and 4 pm, and in winter on weekends at 1:30 pm; times can shift slightly. Tickets are sold on site, and regular tours need no reservation. Well-behaved dogs are welcome.

How to get there

Braubach lies on the east bank of the Rhine, roughly 12 km (7.5 miles) south of Koblenz. Trains on the right-bank Rhine line stop in Braubach, and Koblenz is well connected to Frankfurt and Cologne, so Marksburg works as a day trip from Frankfurt or as a stop on a Rhine cruise. From the town center a steep footpath of about 500 meters (a third of a mile) climbs to the castle; drivers can use the large parking lot just below the walls, a few minutes' walk from the gate. The Deutschlandticket covers regional trains along the Rhine.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes. If you only tour one Rhine castle, make it this one: it is authentic rather than reconstructed, and the guided tour is lively and well organized. Allow 90 minutes to two hours including the garden and the views. The castle is not accessible for wheelchair users because of its rock setting and stairs, so contact the visitor service in advance if mobility is a concern.