Eltz Castle Stock Photo

Eltz Castle is a medieval castle nestled in the hills above the Mosel (Moselle) River between Koblenz and Trier, Germany. It is still owned by a branch of the same family that lived there in the 12th century, 33 generations ago. The Ruebenach and Rodendorf families homes in the castle are open to the public, while the Kempenich branch of the family uses the other third of the castle. Eltz Castle is one of very few castles which have never been destroyed. Platteltz, a Romanesque keep, is the oldest part of the castle. In 1472 the Ruebenach house, built in the Late Gothic style, was completed.