Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: toll castle

Pfalzgrafenstein Castle in the center, (reconsructed) Burg Gutenfels in the background to the left. Ludwig the Bavarian (later "Ludwig IV, Holy Roman Emperor") erected a tower on the island in 1326/1327 to enforce the toll, that had to be paid in Kaub. Since 1477 Pfalzgrafenstein was in the ownership of the Counts of Katzenelnbogen, who extended the gun bastion. An iron chain across the Rhine forced all ships to submit. "Uncooperative" traders could be kept in the dungeon until a ransom was delivered. Pfalzgrafenstein was never conquered or destroyed. The plaque to the right commemorates Prussian General Bluecher, who crossed the Rhine here with his army of 60.000 in the pursuit of Napoleon´s army after the Battle of Leipzig. The island then was used as the center of a floating bridge, constructed by Russian military engineers.

MV Kuba in the forground and the castle of Rheingrafenstein in the background. Ludwig the Bavarian (later "Ludwig IV, Holy Roman Emperor") erected a tower on the island in 1326/1327 to enforce the toll, that had to be paid in Kaub. Since 1477 Pfalzgrafenstein was in the ownership of the Counts of Katzenelnbogen, who extended the gun bastion. An iron chain across the Rhine forced all ships to submit. "Uncooperative" traders could be kept in the dungeon until a ransom was delivered. Pfalzgrafenstein was never conquered or destroyed. In January 1813 Prussian General Bluecher and his army of 60.000 crossed the Rhine here in the pursuit of Napoleon´s army after the Battle of Leipzig. The island then was used as the center of a floating bridge, constructed by Russian military engineers. As this photo (taken in December) is rather bleak, the following upload will depict the castle in autumn, taken from the western riverbank.

Seen from the banks of the Moselle is Reichsburg Cochem, towering above the small village of Cochem. Erected as a toll castle around 1000. After Heinrich I. von Lothringen had shown signs of insanity and so was taken for treatment to the abbey of Gorze, his wife Mathilde lived here. Some years later Heinrich fled Gorze. He then entered the castle in July 1060 - and killed his wife with an axe. He was brought to the monastery of Echternach, where he died only about two weeks later. This earned him two bynames: "Henricus Monachus" and "Henricus Furiosus". The castle got destroyed during the Nine Years' War, but a (very) wealthy family from Berlin acquired the ruin in 1868 and - inspired by the Romanticism - had the castle rebuilt in a historistic/neogothic style. This is may not be the medieval castle, it once was, but it is very picturesque. Even in autumn.