Klopp Castle

Burg Klopp stands on a hill above Bingen am Rhein in the Upper Middle Rhine Valley. The castle’s bergfried, a medieval keep, was restored in the 19th century and now forms part of the town’s administration building. A Roman fortification may once have occupied the site, built by Nero Claudius Drusus around 10 CE. Local legend places Emperor Henry IV’s imprisonment here in 1105 or 1106. The hill is also known as Klopp Hill, first mentioned as a residence in 1240.

The castle played a key role in controlling river trade, alongside Ehrenfels Castle and the Mouse Tower. After damage in the Thirty Years’ War and later destruction in 1689 and 1713, it lay in ruins until the 19th century. Hermann Faber transformed the remains into a romantic garden with paths through grapevines and an aeolian harp. By the late 19th century, the castle attracted around 75,000 visitors who signed the visitors’ book.

Today, the rebuilt bergfried houses part of the town’s government, while a Gothic building serves as the mayor’s residence. A gourmet restaurant occupies the site, and the castle features in the Rhein in Flammen fireworks event. The moat and southern curtain wall remain from the medieval structure, offering a glimpse of the original fortress. The town’s local history museum once stood here before moving to a waterfront power station.