Rheingrafenstein Castle, Castle ruin in Bad Kreuznach, Germany

Rheingrafenstein is a castle ruin sitting atop a rocky outcrop above the Nahe River near Bad Kreuznach, with remains of walls and underground chambers from medieval times. The rock formation itself rises about 136 meters and shapes the landscape distinctly.

The castle was founded in the 11th century and served for centuries as the seat of the Lords of Stein until French troops destroyed it in 1688. After that destruction, it remained as ruins and was never fully rebuilt.

The castle's name comes from the title 'Rheingraf' (Rhinegrave), which Wolfram of Stein adopted in 1196 after inheriting the Rheingau through his mother Lukardis. After the Battle of Sprendlingen in 1279, Siegfried II moved his residence here and called the rock Rheingrafenstein. In 1610 a separate line, the Rheingrafensteinische, formed.

The ruins are reachable on foot either by hand-pulled ferry across the Nahe or by trails from a nearby parking area. Access is fairly straightforward, though there are steep steps and rough paths on the way up.

On the rock's southern slope stand the remains of the Affenstein, the castle's outer bailey, named from "Afterstein". Most visitors climbing to the viewing platform pass it without noticing. The main castle's ruins were quarried in 1721 for the Münster salt works, so the masonry visible today is only a fraction of the original.