Feindlichen Brudern...

                Focus on Liebenstein

The interior of Liebenstein is quaint and medieval, making it a wonderful place to spend the night or have lunch.  The hotel is a little pricey, but the view is excellent and for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, it is worth it.  While small the rooms do have their own bathrooms and showers, which is fairly new in the context of Europe.  Thirty years ago it was quite common to rent a room and have a common bathroom down the hallway.  Today, private bathrooms are more common, but one can still rent rooms in places with common bath facilities.  These are typically called "pensions."

      To the left, two views of our room.  Below, a view of part of the

      dining area with a view of the river.

Nearby the two castles, on the opposite or west side of the river, is the picturesque town of Boppard.  It is well worth a visit with its narrow streets and medieval charm.  I stopped in this town and checked my email (wow, modern technology is great!), and then walked down to the river.  While doing so, I was negotiating a very (VERY) narrow walk along a narrow road, and rolled my ankle off the curb.  This sent me stumbling and bumbling into the street, and I made such a ruckous that people waiting for a boat heard it and gazed up the road in amusement at my clumsy plight.  I injured my right ankle, which I would re-injure on Rheinfels.  One must be careful about walking in some towns, for the walkways are not the best because of the narrow streets and alleys.  Moreover, one must learn how to walk, and not to stumble about like a fool and clutze!

Here's the link to Boppard's homepage in English.

There is not too much to see of the castle itself, as the owners have devoted any reconstructive work to the hotel.  However, there are still some nice ruins there, and the view of the river is fantastic.  The castle actually has two towers, the second barely visible in one of the photos on the previous page.  This second tower is at the lower left, and had railings at the top and a sign that said "50 cent" to enter.  However, the owner told me that the tower was now closed for safety reasons.

Below the photo of the second tower is a view of some of the ruined outer buildings and outer wall.  Directly below is a fantastic view of the Rhein and the town of Boppard.