Windmill and moated castle

© L.Gerhardts

Just outside Wichtringhausen lies another gem: Originally, Wichtringhausen was home to a farmstead, which later became a small castle belonging to the Counts of Schaumburg. In the 16th century, a moated castle was built on the site, complete with a crypt, a chapel, and a gatehouse. Due to renovations in the 17th century, but especially due to the restoration in the Neo-Gothic style (1866), hardly anything remains of the original form. Parts of the exterior masonry were replaced, and a stone stair tower, a gallery, a bay window, and a turret were added. The manor house has been a listed building since 1948. It underwent extensive renovation in the late 1970s. The former coach house is now a wine tasting room where the castle’s owners, the Langwerth von Simmern family, offer Rheingau wines from their own estate in Eltville.