A.R.C.

The section of the Rhine River from Strasbourg to Koblenz is called the Middle Rhine or the
Romantic Rhine.  This is an area where the river has been the main roadway for centuries.  There is nothing particularly romantic in its history.  Kings and princes blocked the river travel with ropes or chains to demand extravagant sums to allow passage.  Castles were built, attacked and destroyed over the centuries.  Most of the castles were in ruins by 1800.

Then came the "romantic" part.  It was fashionable to imagine a fairy tale life in these buildings instead of the miserable existence of most of the people.  Rich people bought these ruins and rebuilt them on a grand scale.  There are still hundreds of castles, ruins and such along this stretch of the river.

Our tour director spent 3 hours identifying each place we passed in the rain.  After a while, it just became A.R.C. (another ruined castle.)
















































Some of the stories are worth repeating.  The Mouse Tower got its name because of a particularly cruel ruler.  The people were starving and came to him for food.  He directed them into the tower, locked the doors and set the tower on fire.  As they screamed in agony, he said that they sounded like mice squeaking.  Immediately mice came pouring out of the tower and attacked the ruler, leaving only a skeleton.  That's the "Romantic Rhine" for you!

At one point the river makes a sharp bend around a high rock.  The river narrows and deepens, causing dangerous whirlpools.  Sailors who were either unskilled or not paying attention often died trying to pass this point.  Rather than admit ineptitude, they said that a beautiful maiden lived on the rock and spent her days singing sweetly and combing her long golden hair.  The men were so enchanted that they forgot how to sail, and they perished at the base of the rock. One prince met this fate, and it so incensed his father that the king sent an army to kill the maiden.  When she saw them coming, she called upon Father Rhine to protect her.  The river rose up in the form of two horses and carried her home to Father Rhine.  Her name was Lorelei, and that became the name of the rock.