Trutzeltz Castle

Trutzeltz Castle stands on a hill above the Elz valley near Münstermaifeld in the Mayen-Koblenz district. Built in the 14th century as a siege castle, it is a small ruin measuring only 30 by 25 metres. The tower house still rises more than ten metres high, while the rest is scattered foundation walls. It lies just 230 metres north of Eltz Castle and 40 metres higher at 360 metres above sea level. The castle was constructed by Baldwin, Archbishop of Trier, during the Eltz Feud of 1331–1337. Baldwin used it to bombard Eltz Castle with trebuchets and early cannons called pot-de-fer. After the feud ended in 1336, the castle was transferred to John of Eltz as a fief in 1337. It soon lost its purpose and was recorded as derelict by 1453. Visitors find a quiet ruin on a wooded slope with views across the valley. The tower’s remains dominate the small site, while scattered stones mark where walls once stood. The Elz flows below, and Eltz Castle can be seen nearby. The air carries the scent of damp earth and pine. A sense of medieval conflict lingers among the ruins.