Ehrenbreitstein Fortress

On the way to Marksburg Castle, which is the only fully preserved medieval knight castle at the middle of the Rhine, is an incredible beautiful view of the magnificent medieval fortress - Ehrenbreitstein.

Ehrenbreitstein Fortress rises majestically on a hill bearing the same name, on the eastern foreshore of the River Rhine. Against the medieval fortress remains the historic German city of Koblenz, which is located in the German Rhineland.

Castle Ehrenbreitstein as we see it today was built on its hill in the period between 1817 and 1832. The purpose of Ehrenbreitstein was to control the flow of the river and its surroundings. This area had repeatedly became the target of French attacks before the rise of this very castle.

The original fort on the hill was probably built around 1000 years ago. In the 12th century the fortress was in the possession of the Archbishops of Trier, but as a religious residence. Ehrenbreitstein remained until 1794 when the French revolutionary army invaded Koblenz in 1794.

In subsequent years the French army tried to storm the castle three times, but unsuccessfully. Unfortunately, one year after the siege began in 1798, Ehrenbreitstein had weakened and the fortress was forced to be passed into the hands of the enemy in 1799.

The Treaty of Lunéville, French army was forced to withdraw the right bank of the Rhine. As a result, in 1801 the Frenchmen dismounted the defensive fortifications of the castle Ehrenbreitstein, because they could not stand to have a stable and powerful fortress just a few meters from their territories.

From 1937 the castle Ehrenbreitstein was included in the city of Koblenz. Today's castle Ehrenbreitstein is a nice place that tells of this world history and folklore in their interesting museum exhibitions. It reminds us that once the castle was one of the strongest fortifications in Europe. In the current Ehrenbreitstein tourists can visit the museum and the nice restaurant.