Katz Castle Castle

Address: Burg Katz (Katz Castle), Oberstraße, St. Goarshausen, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

Hours: Exterior viewing only (private property)

Katz Castle (Burg Katz) is a medieval hilltop castle above the town of St. Goarshausen on the Rhine in Rhineland-Palatinate. Its prominent position makes it one of the many fortified sites lining the Middle Rhine.

From the valley and river the castle presents a compact, heavily fortified silhouette on a steep rock above the river, commonly enjoyed from Rhine cruises and the St. Goarshausen riverfront. The immediate approach and town vantage points provide the best close views; the interior is usually private and not open to the public.

The original fortress was built in the late medieval period by the counts associated with the name Katzenelnbogen and was destroyed in the early 19th century during French military operations. It was rebuilt in the late 19th century in a historicist style and has since remained in private hands.

The castle perches above St. Goarshausen on the right bank of the Rhine in the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, opposite the famous Lorelei rock and within the Rhineland-Palatinate region.

• Access: The site is private property and is not generally open for interior visits, so views from the Rhine river or the town of St. Goarshausen are the normal way to see it.
• Best viewpoints: Sits on a steep rocky outcrop above the right bank of the Rhine and is commonly photographed from passing river cruises and the Lorelei viewpoint across the river.

St. Goarshausen is on the Rhine mainline train route between Koblenz and Mainz; from the train station it’s a short walk to viewpoints on the town’s riverside. Rhine cruises that run the Upper Middle Rhine Valley provide excellent views of Burg Katz from the river.

• Photograph the castle from the Rhine river opposite St. Goarshausen for the classic postcard view that includes the Lorelei rock.
• The castle is privately owned and generally not open to the public-plan to view from the village or a Rhine cruise.
• Combine a visit with a short walk in St. Goarshausen to see the medieval town and river viewpoints.