Fodor's Expert Review Marksburg Castle

Rising high above the town, the dramatic 12th-century Marksburg Castle—part of a Unesco World Heritage Site—makes for some breathtaking vistas from above and below. Unlike other castles along the Rhine, which suffered in the various wars and battles, Marksburg is the only one to survive undamaged. A marvel of medieval architecture, the castle functioned mostly as a strategic base and not a family seat, but its enormous kitchen, Gothic dining hall, painted chapel, armory, and truly medieval torture chamber, with a gruesome collection of perversely imaginative instruments, are all fascinating remnants of life in the 14th and 15th centuries. There is a gift shop and a café offering drinks, light snacks, and meals at the castle.