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| Sunday we had just enough time to wander
through one more castle. Having already explored the ruins of Burg
Rheinfels, we decided on Schloss Stolzenfels, claimed by our guidebooks
to be what the other castles dreamed of becoming. Like most of the
other castles along the Rhine, Stolzenfels was destroyed by the end of
the 17th century, and then restored in the late 19th century
during the German Romantic age, when people again became enchanted with
the beauty of the Rhine Valley. Stolzenfels was rebuilt in 1842 as
a hunting lodge for King Friedrich Wilhelm IV. The guided tour
(in German, with an English handout) led us through a number of
incredibly preserved rooms - parquet floors, painted walls and ceilings,
amazing murals, stained glass windows in every room. And, to
Russell's delight, both a large and small Knight's Hall, complete with
medieval armor and weaponry. As with most schlosses and castles,
Stolzenfels also had its own chapel, which was built on the remains of
an earlier church. The chapel was incredible - amazing murals
depicting various scenes from the Bible, each gilded with gold.
After our tour, we headed back down the steep incline, enjoying the
fresh air and listening to the birds' chirping away. |
Coat of Arms on the Hermitage, a separate building once used for servants' quarters. The tower of the Schloss. Burg Lahneck across the valley The entry to the Knights' Halls The courtyard garden, obviously not yet in bloom. Down the hill, at the Hermitage.
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