Photo: castles, fortresses and palaces, Klopp Castle, Rhineland-Palatinate

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Klopp Castle in Bingen - Prison for Henry IV

Castles, Fortresses and Palaces

The ancientKlopp Castle is the main attraction of the town of Bingen am Rhein. It is withinthe city and in the very place from where Bingen emerged. It is the oldestcastle of the Middle Rhine. Historians say that the Roman general TiberiusDrusus built the fortress on the site in 13 BC. It was called CastellumBingium. Of course, nothing survived from the ancient Roman fortifications.

The modern history of Klopp Castle begins in 1105,when it was first mentioned in the chronicles. At that time it was theresidence of the Archbishop of Mainz. Soon the castle appeared in the midst of acivil war. Klopp Castle is where Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV, captivated by hisown son, languished. The castle, one of the strongholds of the Catholic party,was completely destroyed during the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648). Later, itwas restored, but during the Napoleonic wars, the garrison soldiers blew it upso that Napoleon's troops could not take the castle. Klopp Castle would haveremained in ruins, if not businessman Ludwig Cron. In 1853 he took up the castlerestoration. They were able to recreate the castle in a new, Neo-Gothic style duringquarter-century restoration work. Cron's initiative did not remain unappreciated.In 1897, the City Councilof Bingen was located at the castle. Now Klopp Castle housesthe City Hall and a museum, visited by tourists all year round. Here you cansee not only artifacts of the Middle Ages, but also rare exhibits such as toolsof Roman physicians of the II century. There is a restaurant at the castle offeringgood German cuisine.

Klopp Castle in Bingen - Prison for Henry IV

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