Wirtshaus an der Lahn, Historical inn with customs tower in Lahnstein, Germany
The Wirtshaus an der Lahn is an inn with three stories in Lahnstein, featuring a stone ground floor, timber-framed upper levels, and an adjacent round tower. The construction shows typical Rhine architecture with a distinctive cylindrical tower form.
The adjacent tower was built in 1348 by the Electors of Trier as a toll station on the river and mentioned in Saint Kastor records from 1373. The inn developed later at this location with historical ties to an important trade route.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe visited this establishment during a boat journey with Lavater and Basedow, stopping for lunch on July 18, 1774.
The establishment offers lodging and hosts private events, while visitors can rent bicycles including electric models. The location directly on the shore provides direct access to the Lahn valley and nearby walking trails along the river.
The round tower features a special masonry design that was meant to break ice floes in the river, even though the site never had a proper harbor. This engineering solution shows practical adaptation to river traffic hazards.
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