Burg Hammerstein

Burg Hammerstein is the ruin of a medieval hilltop castle perched on a 195-metre outcrop above the Rhine, south of the village of Hammerstein in Rhineland-Palatinate. Like many Rhine fortifications, it once served to control river traffic and levy tolls; today it is protected as a listed cultural monument. The ruin is accessible via the Rheinsteig, the long-distance hiking trail running along the Rhine's eastern bank. At the top, crumbling walls and overgrown ramparts frame an open panoramic view across the river valley. It rewards hikers on the Rheinsteig looking for a quieter, less visited castle ruin along the Middle Rhine.