Nassau Castle

Nassau Castle sits on a rocky hilltop 120 meters above the Lahn River, dominated by a five-sided tower reaching about 33 meters high. The entire structure displays typical brick construction and the layered buildings of a medieval defensive fortress.

The fortress was founded around 1100 and became the seat of the Nassau counts, who ruled the Lahn valley from this stronghold. Over time it lost importance, suffered damage, and underwent various rebuilding and repairs across the centuries.

The fortress represents how the Nassau counts wanted to display their control over the Lahn valley, and its late-Romanesque design reflects medieval building traditions. Today visitors can still see traces of this noble past in the walls and rooms.

Access is available from below, though reaching the castle grounds requires some effort due to the slope and elevation. Comfortable shoes are recommended, and visitors should allow enough time to explore the interior areas.

Archaeological work in 1970 uncovered the original walls, which sparked extensive restoration efforts beginning in 1976. These discoveries revealed important details about how the fortress was originally built and laid out.