Castles, Castles, and More Castles of the Middle Rhine River

The end of our European River Cruise is nearing, but today we were treated to the Medieval Castles of the Rhine River.

Katz Castle, circa 14th century on the Rhine. Damaged by Napoleon’s troops in 1806 and rebuilt. © Carol Labuzzetta, 2023.

Yesterday, we arrived at one of the most extraordinary parts of our trip through Europe on three of its most beloved rivers.

Already having traversed the Danube River and Main Canal, we arrived at the Rhine River — a river as extraordinary as the Nile as it flows northward.

The Middle Rhine (Rhein in German) is a place where the topography changes, becoming more hilly. Both sides of the river are dotted with Medieval castles from prior centuries.

Before arriving in Europe on our trip, we saw castles and palaces of prior strongholds in various countries. Budapest Castle sitting high on a hill was our first introduction to this.

Buda Castle in Budapest, © Carol Labuzzetta, 2023.

Once on the Rhine, the Klopp Castle was our first view of a Medieval castle, dating back to the 13th century.

Then we saw the Mouse Tower. There are stories about who ate what (or who) in this tall skinny building that served as a…