Marksburg Castle

The origins of the Marksburg, originally named after the town of Braubach, date back to the 12th century. Archaeological findings suggest that a predecessor existed around 1117. In the 13th century, the castle was owned by the Lords of Eppstein, an influential family who also provided four Archbishops of Mainz. From 1283, the castle passed to the Counts of Katzenelnbogen. Under Count Johann II and his son Diether VIII, the Marksburg underwent extensive Gothic-style expansion in the 14th century, which gave it its current appearance. In 1437, the St. Mark's castle chapel was first documented. In 1574, the castle received its present name, Marksburg, to distinguish it from the newly built Philippsburg. After the Thirty Years' War, during which the castle was neglected, it served as an invalid's home and state prison in the 18th century. In 1866, the Marksburg fell to Prussia and gradually deteriorated. The German Castles Association acquired the castle in 1900 and began extensive restoration work to restore its late medieval appearance. During World War II, the castle was damaged by artillery fire but was subsequently rebuilt.

The Marksburg is located in the Loreley - Braubach region in the Rhein-Lahn district, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, at an elevation of approximately 186 m above sea level.

Today, the Marksburg houses a castle museum and is accessible to visitors. It offers an authentic picture of a late medieval castle complex, with the German Castles Association maintaining its offices in the Romanesque palace.

• Philippsburg Castle (Castle), approx. 0.2 km away
• Osterspai Castle (Castle), approx. 3.7 km away
• Liebeneck Castle (Castle), approx. 4.0 km away
• Martinsburg Castle (Castle), approx. 4.2 km away