In the 6th century, the holy Saint Goar lived as a recluse on the spot where this town lies. Here, from his hermitage, he spread the word of the gospel throughout the Middle Rhine One of the oldest monasteries in Germany was built in 765 where the Stiftskirche now stands. You can still visit the chapel of St. Goar under the choir of the church. In the 12th century, the Earl of Katzenelnbogen acquired the town of St. Goar and turned it into a fortification. It was then that the foundation stone for the Rheinfels castle was laid, the biggest remaining ruin of a fortress from the mediaeval and renaissance times. While high above the falcons circle around the fortress towers, down below in the narrow lanes the town throbs. St. Goar is a popular town with visitors with many cafés and hotels inviting you to linger. St. Goar offers a list of events during the year, such as the mediaeval castle festival, the Hansen festival or the well-known spectacle “Rhine in Flames”