Fürstenberg Castle

Fürstenberg Castle is an early 13th-century hilltop fortification whose ruins rise steeply above the Rhine near Rheindiebach, part of the Oberdiebach municipality in Rhineland-Palatinate. First documented in 1219, it formed part of the dense chain of medieval castles controlling river traffic on the Middle Rhine, and since 2002 the entire valley has held UNESCO World Heritage status. A remarkable preservation detail sets the ruin apart: unusually extensive sections of original lime plaster survive on the walls, allowing researchers to trace the building's changing color schemes across several centuries — a rarity among European medieval fortifications. Visitors today can explore the open-air ruin and take in broad views across the Rhine valley and its terraced vineyards, with the site easily reached via the Rhine cycling route or hillside footpaths.