Rheinstein castle still has a working drawbridge and portcullis, which are both part of its medieval heritage.
According to some sources, the Rheinstein Castle was built by the Holy Roman Emperor known as Rudolph von Habsburg. The initial construction period lasted from 1282 to 1286.
The Rheinstein castle was purchased by Prince Frederick Wilhelm Ludwig of Prussia in 1823. He was the nephew of King Frederick William lll and was enthralled by the medieval construction and magnificence of the castle. Prince Frederick renamed the castle “Burg Rheinstein” because of its rocky cliffside location.
He also commissioned the renovation to the renowned castle builder Claudius Lassaulux, but it was his pupil Wilhelm Kuhn who finalized the current look of the castle. The reconstruction of the castle stretched until the year 1829, and included feedback from Prussian architect and city planner Karl Friedrich Schinkel.