Braubach, Germany: Marksburg Castle

For those visiting the Middle Rhine region of Germany, with all of its castles, this probably should be your primary destination. After all, it's the only one in the area that wasn't destroyed along the way as history rolled on.

The place was built in 1231, and expanded into its present size in 1283. So we're coming up on an 800th birthday party. It became a fortress in 1588, and turned into a prison in 1803. The Germany Castles Association took it over in 1900, and it has maintained the structure ever since.

What's interesting about this place is that it's just not a bunch of walls. You get the idea, at least, how it operated back in the day. Therefore, you get to see the wine press, the cannons, the kitchen, the bedrooms, and so forth. There is a room filled with armor representing various eras. It's interesting to note that once weapons were developed that were stronger than armor, such battle apparel went out of style almost immediately. And what would a castle be without a torture chamber? A jail, containing punishment devices, probably is a better description of the place. But torture chamber sounds so much more fitting in this case.

Marksburg Castle is located south of Koblenz. It has a view of the Rhine that pops up in travel brochures as a way to sell trips to the region. There is a restaurant and gift shop on site. English speakers will be happy to know that guided tours in that language are given a couple of times a day during the summer; the tour lasts a little less than an hour. One warning: walking is difficult in certain parts of the complex. The cobblestone entrances have been smoothed over at this point, and it's easy to slip.