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Burg Stahlberg, Bacharach

Stahlberg Castle

Bacharach

Access

No visits on recordNo opening hours or ticketing found

Where
Bacharach

To make a day of it

Open within 20 km

Sleep nearby

Burg Stahlberg stands in Bacharach (Landkreis Mainz-Bingen), in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The building is a listed Baudenkmal. Recorded dating: 12th century. No visits are on record for this building.

The ruined Stahlberg Castle stands on a rocky spur above Steeg, a district of Bacharach, between two side valleys of the Rhine. Built in a single campaign between 1158 and 1168, it retains Romanesque-era remains unusual for the region, before being enlarged in the second quarter of the 14th century. Visitors can still make out the curtain wall, a round keep in the lower bailey, a square keep in the upper bailey, and remnants of the great hall and a chapel dedicated to Saint Peter. The site has formed part of the UNESCO World Heritage Upper Middle Rhine Valley since 2002.

What to know

  • Access follows a steep historic path from the Dorweiler Bach valley, with no provision for visitors with reduced mobility.
  • The ruin is freely accessible, with no known opening hours or admission fee.
  • A modern wooden footbridge crosses the ditch that protects the attack side of the castle.
  • Consolidation works on the upper bailey have been ongoing since 2021, which may restrict access to some areas.
  • The site can only be reached on foot, so sturdy footwear is advisable given the uneven ground.

Where this château is

Bacharach · Landkreis Mainz-Bingen · Rheinland-Pfalz

Map of the area around Burg Stahlberg

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This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

55422 Bacherach-Steeg

Directions open from wherever you are, by car or public transport.

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Heritage status
Kulturdenkmal in Deutschland
Period of construction
12th century

Base map © IGN, Géoplateforme

In pictures

Frequently asked

Who built Stahlberg Castle?
The castle is believed to have been built for the Archbishops of Cologne, probably to secure their local possessions, between 1158 and 1168.
Can Stahlberg Castle be visited freely?
Yes, the ruin is freely accessible, though no opening hours or admission fees are documented.
Why is Stahlberg Castle in ruins?
It gradually lost military importance from the 16th century, suffered damage during the Thirty Years' War in the 17th century, and then decayed slowly until it was abandoned.
Is Stahlberg Castle part of a protected site?
It is listed as a Kulturdenkmal in Germany and has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Upper Middle Rhine Valley since 2002.
Is the path to Stahlberg Castle difficult?
The historic approach path is steep and unimproved, requiring reasonable fitness to reach the site.

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Sources

Identity, location and official references from Wikidata and the Land's heritage lists.

Within an hour’s drive

The most visited in this department — Landkreis Mainz-Bingen

From the same period — 12e siècle