Lahneck Castle

The late baptist castle of the archbishops and electors of Mainz was built around 1245 to protect the area at the mouth of the river Lahn. The rectangular core castle is surrounded by four building wings and a shield wall with corner towers. The pentagonal keep is 29m high, on the north side rises the palace. The castle chapel is dedicated to St. Ulrich. During the Thirty Years' War Lahneck Castle fell victim to the destruction of the Swedes, further destruction was carried out by the French in 1689. In the sight of the ruins Goethe wrote his spiritual greeting in 1774. Between 1852-1937 Lahneck Castle was rebuilt in the English Gothic style and has been privately owned since 1850.

Various legends are connected with the castle:
The Knights Templar used it as a place of refuge after their ostracism in the 12th century. The last twelve Knights Templar fled to the castle with the oath that none of them would leave it alive again - and are said to have fallen after a heroic battle.
The story of the Scottish Miss Idilia Dubb, who travelled the Rhine Valley with her family in 1851 and is said to have tragically died of starvation on the tower, is equally well known.