(closed due to low water status 13.06.26

The fact that Pfalzgrafenstein was once part of one of the most lucrative customs stations on the Rhine is already evident from its location:
Standing in the middle of the river, the fortress is only accessible by ferry. In 1327, the Count Palatine and later Emperor Ludwig IV commissioned the construction of a pentagonal keep on the small Rhine island as the first part of the fortification - much to the displeasure of the bishops of the time and even the Pope, who were concerned about the profitable dominance of the church in the collection of tolls. With the construction of the curtain wall and walkways starting in 1340, the resilience of Pfalzgrafenstein was significantly enhanced. In 1504, it even survived the 39-day siege during the Bavarian Palatinate Succession War unscathed.
Without a doubt, "the Pfalz" is now one of the most photographed motifs in the Middle Rhine Valley.

A small passenger ferry transports visitors from Kaub safely to the "stone ship." You can find the sailing times on the website of the General Directorate for Cultural Heritage: https://tor-zum-welterbe.de/pfalzgrafenstein