Burg Rheinstein was the first item on the Rheinburgenweg which made me briefly stop. After all, there's a castle on the trail, and so why would I not stop and check it out?
This castle is located in the town of Trechtingshausen, so since I started the trail in Bingen, this appeared near the end of the first leg. It is located on a strategic location by the Rhine, and was originally constructed in 1317. It was in decline less than a century later, but afterwards the castle was bought by Prince Frederick of Prussia, who then rebuilt it.
I especially liked how the castle slowly emerged on one's view while on the trail. One goes through the forest trails, and somehow it just emerges in front of you, showing itself as this castle perched next to a cliff.
I took the time to explore the grounds. It was after all a great location. There were fantastic views of the Rhine, and even though the castle overall was small, it didn't feel miniature. And then I explored the interior.
The interior has some interestieng furnishings, but it wasn't very opulent. Of course, I still do not see myself living in surroundings like these, but nevertheless, I have seen other castles that felt more over the top than this one.
After exploring the interior, I eventually made my way out. After all, I am not yet done with my hike, so I had to continue that until the end of the leg.
