Rheinfels            

Over time further restoration has opened various sections of Rheinfels hitherto closed off.  This includes a large number of interior and underground sections, as this fortress was truly massive.  The photos on this page were all taken in 2007 with the Minolta A100 camera.

On the left, this section appears to be an open air walk way, but is in fact the corridor that once traveled within one of the massive outer walls.  Much of the construction is now gone, but some archways remain.

One way to enter the underground passages is through several spiral stairways.  It is absolutely critical to bring a flashlight (I forgot several times, including on this visit!).  This stairway is at the end of a long corridor that becomes increasingly dark.  By the time you descend these stairs you are in almost total blackout.  However, they are worth it for the sense of adventure!

The passages don't seem like much, but they are awesome to explore and to gain an understanding how huge - and powerful - this once mighty fortress was.  When going through these passages and down darkened stairs, watch your head!

Some passages are reached from arched entrance ways to some of the inner wards of the fortress.  Even then, a flashlight is still a priority to explore these areas, even with some ambient light entering from the doorway.