Pfalzgrafenstein castle

The Pfalzgrafenstein Fortress is a customs castle in Germany, located on the small island of Falkenau in the middle of the Rhine river near the town of Kaub. It is famous for its unusual ship-like shape. The date of the foundation of the fortress is unknown, but the first mention in documents is 1277. Throughout its history, the castle has never been taken or destroyed, that is, it has survived to this day in its original state. In 1866 the fortress was acquired by Prussia and since 1876 it ceased to perform customs functions. After that, for almost a hundred years, the fortress was used as a lighthouse. In 1946, the fortress passed into the possession of the Rhineland-Palatinate state, it was restored and made a museum.