Are Castle sits enthroned above the wine village of Altenahr
The impressive Are castle ruins are enthroned above the wine village of Altenahr directly on the AhrSteig trail. The hilltop castle, first mentioned in documents in 1121, served as a stronghold, administrative centre and prison for the archbishops of Cologne from 1246. After an eventful history and a long siege by French troops, the castle was blown up in 1714 at the insistence of the people of Altenahr. The people of Altenahr used many of the materials to rebuild their destroyed houses and to construct a new office building at the foot of the castle hill.</p
<p class="MsoNormal">In 1996, the castle ruins were extensively renovated: The
The crumbling walls of the palas and tower were fortified and the fragments of the
of the former castle chapel were repaired. Volunteers have uncovered the former
well and shaft have been uncovered. Today, visitors can once again look down
metres down to the water table.