Wachtenburg, Castle ruin in Wachenheim, Germany.

Wachtenburg is a castle ruin in Wachenheim that sits on a hill overlooking the Palatinate wine region. The remaining stone walls and rectangular tower show the layout of a medieval fortress with views across the surrounding valleys.

Wachtenburg was built in the 12th century, probably on the orders of Conrad of Hohenstaufen, and was first documented in 1257. Rudolf of Habsburg bought it in 1273 as a dowry for his daughter; in 1277 her son, Count Palatine Rudolf I, granted it as an after-fief to Count Emich IV of Leiningen-Landeck. In 1470 Elector Frederick I had it destroyed, and in 1689 French troops under General Melac blew up the bergfried, half of which still stands.

The castle gives its name to the Wachenheimer Burg- und Weinfest, held each June with the ruin as one of its main venues. A Burgschenke in the grounds serves visitors, and since 1984 the Förderkreis zur Erhaltung der Ruine Wachtenburg leases the site and carries out restoration work.

Visitors reach the ruins via several hiking trails, including the popular Pfälzer Weinsteig route. A small tavern on the grounds serves regional food and drinks.

From the tower top on clear days, you can see far across the Rhine Valley to distant hills. This view shows why this location was so strategically valuable long ago.