Pfalzgrafenstein Castle is one of the most photogenic castles in Germany, and one of the highlights of any Rhine Valley trip.
It’s so striking because of its location on an island in the middle of the river – with another Rhine Castle behind – it’s the epitome of the Romantic Rhine ideal.
This black-and-white Baroque jewel is one of a few must-see castles along the Rhine River, and in this guide, I tell you the best viewpoints of this castle, how to get there, and what to see there.
I also show you places to visit near Pfalzgrafenstein Castle in either direction along the Rhine Valley.
Why Visit Pfalzgrafenstein Castle
Burg Pfalzgrafenstein is one of the most recognisable and beautiful Rhine river castles.
It’s the famous white castle on an island in the River Rhine, a striking sight from either side of the river.
It’s part of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Pfalzgrafenstein Castle also has a fascinating tale to tell, unique among the many toll castles on the Rhine.
Burg Pfalzgrafenstein History
Pfalzgrafenstein Castle was built around 1327 by King Ludwig the Bavarian.
Like most castles on the River Rhine it was built to extract tolls from passing shipping.
The Castle, known as the Pfalz, had a more effective means of extracting tolls than other Rhine Castles.
Pfalzgrafenstein Castle is situated on an island close to the town of Kaub and the right bank of the Rhine.
Passing traffic had to use this narrow channel rather than the wider channel the other side of the Castle because of a treacherous stretch of water downstream on that side.
The river passage between Pfalzgrafenstein Castle and Kaub was blocked by a large chain, and anyone trying to avoid paying the levy would be imprisoned in the Castle dungeon.
The Castle briefly passed into the hands of the Counts of Katzenelnbogen, whose line would soon die out, in 1477. They also owned Marksburg Castle, another formidable Rhine Castle, downstream at Braubach.
Pfalzgrafenstein Castle continued as a lucrative toll castle thereafter, and additions between 1607 and 1755 gave the Castle its present appearance, with its black tower top and turrets.
It was used by General Blücher and his Prussian troops as a landing stage when they crossed the Rhine in 1814 in chase of Napoleon Bonaparte.
The Castle ceased to collect tolls in 1867. The waterway has since been changed substantially, so that the wider channel is now navigable to river traffic.
What To See At Pfalzgrafenstein Castle
Some places are best admired from afar, and I suggest thing about visiting Pfalzgrafenstein Castle is the view of it from either side of the River Rhine.
Pfalzgrafenstein Castle tends to be photographed more from the Oberwesel (left bank) side of the river, because of the picture-perfect views with another Castle, Burg Gutenfels, and the town of Kaub in the background.
There is also a great view of it from the Kaub (right bank) side, with Schönburg Castle on a hill above Oberwesel on the other side of the river.
If you’re a Castle lover and the ferry is running, it’s worth visiting Pfalzgrafenstein Castle. It’s a captivating sight from a distance, and a beautiful building up close, but it is not the most enthralling Rhine Castle to visit.
It’s a small Castle with a fine central courtyard (pictured) but there isn’t a great deal more to see. When I visited some years ago, you could visit several rooms, but there wasn’t much to see in them – the cannons in one of them was the highlight.
Where Is Pfalzgrafenstein Castle
Pfalzgrafenstein Castle is located in the middle of the river Rhine, close to the town of Kaub on the right bank (east side) of the river.
It is located between Oberwesel (2 km to the north) and Bacharach (3 km to the south) if you’re approaching from the left bank of the Rhine.
How To Get To Pfalzgrafenstein Castle
The easiest way to get to Pfalzgrafenstein Castle is to take the RB 10 train that runs between Koblenz Hbf (Koblenz main station) to Frankfurt (Frankfurt am Main Hbf).
It’s a 40-minute journey from Koblenz, 15 minutes to Rüdesheim and 1 hour 48 minutes to Frankfurt.
Check the Deutsche Bahn website for current train times.
It’s a ten-minute walk from Kaub railway station to the Kaub ferry wharf, from which boats cross to Pfalzgrafenstein Castle or to the Engelsburg wharf on the left bank of the river. Note that if water levels are too low or too high, services to the Castle are cancelled.
Bear in mind that there are no bridges in this section of the Rhine for 40 miles (65 km), so the only way to cross the river is by ferry. The ferry takes vehicles and foot passengers.
It’s a little more difficult to reach Pfalzgrafenstein Castle from Bacharach or Oberwesel. There is a bus stop next to the Engelsburg ferry wharf on this side (the left bank) of the river.
The 685 runs between the Engelsburg ferry stop and the next ferry stop downstream at St Goar. It runs hourly during the daytime.
The only ways to reach the Engelsburg ferry – and the best Pfalzgrafenstein Castle viewpoint – from Bacharach is by car (along the B9), on foot (there is a footpath alongside of the river, below the road, almost all the way).
You can also get the KD ferry or train from Bacharach to Oberwesel, then walk upstream (15-20 minutes) to the ferry wharf.
Pfalzgrafenstein Castle Opening Times
Between 15th March and 31st October, Pfalzgrafenstein Castle is open Wednesdays to Sundays and public holidays from 1000 to 1245 and from 1400 to 1645.
The castle is also open 1st February to 14th March and through November between 1000 and 1245 and then from 1400 to 1545.
It is closed during December and January.
Places To Visit Near Pfalzgrafenstein Castle
Pfalzgrafenstein Castle is close to the small wine-producing town of Kaub, and its neighbouring Castle, Burg Gutenfels.
The latter has been restored and if you’re keen on staying in a Rhine Castle, they have several apartments available, as well as a communal area.
We think Bacharach is the most beautiful of the Rhine River towns. It has the most extensive collection of half-timbered houses along the river, and many of these are hotels, restaurants, wineries or cafes.
You can also stay in the Castle above Bacharach, Burg Stahleck, which is now a youth hostel.
Further upstream, we strongly recommend a visit to Rheinstein Castle, just south of the village of Trechtingshausen, and its neighbour, Reichenstein Castle.
We also recommend visiting Rüdesheim, the most popular town in the Rhine Gorge, across the other side of the river.
Downstream, Oberwesel is a beautiful Rhine town with less crowds, two outstanding churches, hilltop wineries and a great town wall walk. You can also stay at Schönburg Castle, which overlooks the town.
It’s not far from Oberwesel to the famous Loreley rock, which gave rise to the famous legend of the siren of the same name luring ships onto dangerous rocks.
Just beyond there, one of the most scenic castles of the Rhine, Burg Katz, overlooks the crossing between St Goar and St Goarshausen, with the mighty Rheinfels Castle on the hillside above St Goar.
Where To Stay Near Pfalzgrafenstein Castle
**** – Burghotel auf Schönburg – one of the best castles to stay on the Rhine, just across the river in Oberwesel
**** – Fetz Das Loreley Hotel – luxury hotel in the nearby village of Dörscheid, two miles from Kaub
*** – Hotel Zum Turm – historic hotel with centuries-old tower in the centre of Kaub, and an in-house restaurant
*** – Wohnung am Rheinsteig – holiday apartment on the long-distance Rhine footpath, close to the centre of Kaub
Pfalzgrafenstein Castle – Final Thoughts
Pfalzgrafenstein is one of the finest castles and most famous landmarks in Germany, and a must see on any Rhine river itinerary. If you can’t get to visit the castle because of river levels, it’s unfortunate but not a terrible loss – the highlight is the view of the Castle from the Bacharach and Oberwesel side (the left bank) of the river.
I stayed in the Rhine Valley area for several weeks, and visited most of the Castles and all of the towns in the area. Take a look at some of these individual castle and town guides:
- Marksburg Castle – awesome World Heritage Castle on the River Rhine
- Braubach, Germany – one of the most beautiful and romantic towns on the Rhine
- Things To Do In Boppard – gorgeous wine town with ancient Roman origins
- Rheinstein Castle – perhaps the original Romantic Rhine Castle
- Rheinfels Castle – the largest and most imposing Castle on the Rhine
- Pfalzgrafenstein Castle – stunning island castle on the River Rhine
- Bacharach Germany – one of the most enchanting towns on the Rhine
- Things To Do In Rüdesheim Germany – the most popular town in the Rhine Valley
- Things To Do In St Goar Germany – lovely Rhine town close to the famous Lorelei rock
- Things To Do In Oberwesel – underrated Rhine town with superb town walls, wineries and churches
And for more ideas on places to visit in Germany, here’s some further reading:
- Beilstein, Mosel Valley – discover this gorgeous Moselle wine village
- Things To Do In Cochem – fairytale castle and town, a great base for exploring the Mosel Valley
- Things To Do In Trier – 26 Things to Do In Germany’s Oldest City
- Trier Cathedral – the oldest cathedral in Germany and part of the Trier World Heritage Site
- Churches in Trier – the Cathedral, Liebfrauenkirche, Constantine’s Basilica and more
- Porta Nigra Trier – amazing ancient Roman gateway that survived thanks to becoming a church
- Roscheider Hof Museum Trier – one of the best folk museums in Europe
- Völklingen Ironworks – astounding industrial World Heritage Site near the French border
- Things To Do In Saarbrücken – discover the little-known capital of Saarland
- Dresden Landmarks – 19 stunning sights in the ‘Florence on the Elbe’
- Frauenkirche Dresden – the Baroque jewel of Dresden, rebuilt from the rubble
- Visiting Nuremberg Toy Museum – one of the best toy museums in the world, and one of the best museums in Germany
- Things To Do In Goslar – stunning World Heritage town made rich by the 1000-year-old Rammelsberg Mine
- Things To Do In Quedlinburg – the World Heritage-listed half-timbered capital of Europe
- Photographing Berlin – how to capture Germany’s fascinating capital on camera
- Berlin Landmarks – 21 Top Sights To See In Berlin
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.