Burg Katz – also known as the Cat Castle – is one of the most enchanting castles along the Rhine river.
Situated close to the landmark Loreley rock it has an amazing location. Even out of 40 Rhine Gorge castles it’s one of the most picturesque and most photographed.
It isn’t possible to visit Burg Katz, but you can greatly appreciate this wonderful Rhineland Castle more than most of the others as there are so many extraordinary views of it in the surrounding area.
In this Burg Katz guide I tell you all about the Castle’s history and why it got its unusual nickname.
I also point you in the direction of the best places from which you can see Burg Katz, including the classic one high above the Castle and River Rhine.
And hopefully, with my photography, I’ll convey why Burg Katz appealed so much to us.
Why Is Burg Katz Special
Burg Katz – sometimes called Katz Castle or Cat Castle – is one of the most photogenic, picturesque and famous Rhine river castles.
It’s the epitome of the classic romantic Rhine castle, with its tower and turrets high above the river, and attracted artists including the likes of JMW Turner, who painted it in 1817.
It’s also one of the most famous landmarks in Germany, standing close to the renowned Loreley rock less than a mile upstream.
Burg Katz is one of the most rewarding Rhine Castles to walk around and photograph, with some astonishing views to be discovered on a moderate uphill hike.
Burg Katz also has an important place in Rhine folklore, known as the ‘Cat’ Castle which rivalled the ‘Mouse’ Castle downstream.
Can You Visit Burg Katz
No, you cannot visit Burg Katz, as it’s a private residence. However, you can admire it from Rhine river cruises and from several great vantage points in St Goar, St Goarshausen and in the hills above both Rhine towns.
Burg Katz History
Burg Katz was founded by the powerful Count Wilhelm II of Katzenelnbogen as a toll castle in 1371, intended to consolidate control over revenue from passing shipping.
At first the castle was known as Burg Neu-Katzenelnbogen, and it operated in tandem with the massive Rheinfels Castle, located within sight of it across the Rhine above the town of St Goar.
It occupies a strategically important location a short distance downstream from the famous Loreley rock, which stands over the narrowest – and most dangerous – point of the river Rhine Gorge.
The two Katzenelnbogen castles were competing with the next castle downstream, Burg Maus, which was controlled by the Electorate of Trier, which also had other interests in the Rhine Valley region.
The line of the Counts of Katzenelnbogen died out in 1479, after which it came under the auspices of the Margravate of Hesse. Two branches of the family fought over the Castle over the ensuing decades.
Burg Katz was badly damaged in 1689 during the Nine Years War, when nearby Rheinfels Castle was destroyed.
Napoleon’s forces blew up the castle with explosives in 1806, leaving the main tower, or bergfried, intact.
Burg Katz was bought by a Japanese businessman, Satoshi Kosugi, in 1989. At the time he intended to turn Burg Katz into a hotel catering to Japanese visitors with a panoramic terrace overlooking the river. However, this has not materialized.
The Best Places To See Burg Katz
You get a great view of Burg Katz from the river Rhine as you travel in either direction. It’s on the right as you travel downstream, having just passed the Loreley Rock and statue on the river.
It’s on the left if you’re travelling upstream from Boppard or St Goar in the direction of Rüdesheim or Bingen.
There are some great views of Burg Katz from along the riverfront at St Goar. You get an uninterrupted view of St Goarshausen and the Castle from there – and this is from the park, the small pop-up bar, the restaurants with outdoor tables across the street, the ferry terminal and beyond.
We also recommend the view from Rheinfels Castle, from which you can also see Burg Maus (Mouse Castle) to your left, a mile or so downriver.
Burg Katz is an enchanting sight from across the Rhine, but there are also some great views from the same side of the river.
If you visit the top of the Loreley, head a little off the beaten track along a street called Loreleyring, which eventually reaches a school (Loreleyschule).
Walk behind the school (there is a public footpath) and you’ll reach a lookout over Burg Katz, the river and the two towns either side.
However, the best view of Burg Katz is from the approach to a viewpoint called Dreiburgenblick on the edge of the village of Patersberg.
Turn off the main road onto Forstbachstrasse, right below the Castle, and take the footpath on the left-hand side of the road behind the houses, gradually climbing above the valley.
It’s a steady mile-long (1.5-1.6 km) uphill walk, partly up steps, partly up sloping ground.
Eventually you’ll reach a car park area with large recycling bins – walk from there to the road (called Rheinblick, which means ‘Rhine View’) and turn left, doubling back towards the river.
As you approach the river, the view of Burg Katz gets better and better, until you’re high above it, looking down on it and the river below.
Continue to the Dreiburgenblick while you’re there, but the best Burg Katz view is from a little further back when you’re above it.
Where Is Burg Katz
The Castle is located on a hill above the town of St Goarshausen, on the right bank (east side) of the River Rhine. The town is within the Land (state) of Rheinland-Pfalz (known as Rhineland-Palatinate in English).
It is part of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site.
How To Get To Burg Katz
St Goarshausen and Burg Katz are easy to reach.
St Goarshausen is on the RB 10 train route between Koblenz and the popular town of Rüdesheim, which eventually terminates at Frankfurt am Main.
It’s a 35-minute journey from Koblenz Hbf (main station) to St Goarshausen, and a 23-minute journey if you’re travelling from Rüdesheim.
If you’re travelling from Frankfurt, it’s a 1 hour 38-minute journey to St Goarshausen on the RB10. For latest times and fares, check the Deutsche Bahn website.
You can also travel by road to St Goarshausen, which is on the B42 route that runs down the east side of the Rhine Gorge.
If you’re travelling to St Goarshausen from the opposite side of the river, bear in mind that there are no bridges across the Rhine for 65 km between Koblenz and Rüdesheim.
However, one of five river Rhine ferries operates very close to Burg Katz, between St Goar and St Goarshausen. The ferry point is a five-minute walk down the hill from St Goar train station, and ferries run every 20 minutes. They also carry cars and other vehicles.
Places To Visit Near Burg Katz
Burg Katz is within sight of the famous Loreley Rock, from where much of the mystique of the Rhineland originates. Clemens Brentano, and later Heinrich Heine wrote about the seductive siren said to lure passing ships to doom in the treacherous gorge.
It’s not the most exceptional thing to see in the Rhine Valley, but is worth a look. You can see it from across the river, or around the Dreiburgenblick viewpoint mentioned earlier in the article.
You can also head up to the top of the rock, where there’s a visitor centre and some great views up and down the river.
Across the river in St Goar, the main thing to see is the imposing Burg Rheinfels, the ruined castle overlooking the village. It’s one of the best castles on the River Rhine, with plenty to explore and an intriguing small museum in one of the castle towers.
Burg Katz is roughly midway along the Rhine Gorge, making St Goar a good base for exploring either upstream or downstream. Upstream you’ll find the most famous of the Rhine river towns, Rüdesheim, at the point where the Rhine enters its narrow gorge.
There are several Rhine castles in this area, including Rheinstein Castle and Reichenstein Castle, both of which are close to the village of Trechtingshausen.
Further downstream, our favourite Bacharach is one of the most beautiful villages in Europe, with its many half-timbered buildings and wineries set below a fine Castle that is now a youth hostel.
Just to the north of Bacharach, Pfalzgrafenstein Castle guards the Rhine from an island, and soon afterwards Oberwesel is another beautiful Rhine Valley town with two outstanding churches as well as its numerous wineries.
North of St Goarshausen, Burg Maus was the rival to Burg Katz and Rheinfels Castles. It’s in a superb location above the village of Kamp-Bornhofen, but at the time of writing is only open occasionally for concerts or wine-tasting events.
The ‘Feuding Brothers’ castles of Liebenstein and Sterrenberg sit just 200 metres apart on one of the highest points along the Rhine, and beyond there you reach beautiful Boppard, one of the most popular towns on the Rhine.
It’s not far from there to Braubach, one of the most beautiful Rhine towns, and mighty Marksburg Castle, one of the most complete medieval fortresses in Europe. A few miles north of there, you reach Koblenz and the confluence with the Mosel river.
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David Angel is a British photographer, writer and historian. He is a European travel expert with over 30 years’ experience exploring Europe. He has a degree in History from Manchester University, and his work is regularly featured in global media including the BBC, Condé Nast Traveler, The Guardian, The Times, and The Sunday Times. David is fluent in French and Welsh, and can also converse in Italian, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Czech and Polish.