2016/05 Europe cruise - Marksburg Castle |
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Tuesday May 10th 
At breakfast time we arrived at Koblenz and moored at the point where the Moselle flows into the Rhine. We all piled onto buses and were taken out of Koblenz, across the river to Braubach, and up a steep hill dominated by the fortress of Marksburg. This is one of dozens of castles that line the Rhine gorge, but it is one of the few that were never conquered.
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Marksburg roads (2.08) |
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We could see why it had survived for 900 years as we slogged up the steep path and through the tunnel and under the balcony where the defenders would have rained rocks and arrows on any attackers. Much of the rest of the hill is sheer cliff and the castle’s walls rise from the cliff tops.
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Marksburg Castle |
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The rock is slate, hacked into long shallow steps so that horse riders can enter while mounted. Inside the gates, stairways are narrow, easy to
defend, and tough on the tourists. Marksburg has all the usual castle stuff: a great hall, kitchens and wine cellar, torture chamber, and, in the armoury, a display of weapons and chastity belts. Our guide didn’t know if the latter came with a warranty.