A little arcadia on the Rhine
In the 14th century, the Lords of Reiffenberg built a medieval keep at the foot of the hill on which Sayn Castle stands. It was transformed into a baroque manor house in 1753. The property was extended at the beginning of the 19th century and Prince Ludwig zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn moved into Sayn Palace with his Russian wife, Princess Leonilla, in 1848. This prime neo-gothic example of Romanticism on the Rhine looks like a little arcadia situated a little way from the Rhine in the tranquil Sayn valley. The palace was significantly damaged in 1945, just before the end of the war, and fell into ruin. Due to a renewed interest in the neo-gothic style, Sayn Palace was declared an architectural monument of national importance. Thanks to a tremendous level of support, the building was restored in 1995-2000. Today, the palace is still owned by the descendants of the Prince and has been restored to its former glory with salons and fine dining.
