Above Trarbach, on the east bank of the river, are the now-diminished remains of the 14th-century Grevenburg Castle, the scene of hard-fought battles to gain control of its strategic position. On the opposite bank, above Traben, are the ruins of Mont Royal, a 1687 fortress built by the invading Louis XIV, and destroyed by him 11 years later. You can wander about these testimonials to faded grandeur at any time, without charge. The towns also possess excellent examples of Jugendstil architecture, the German version of Art Nouveau, stemming from the time when architect Bruno Möhring resided here. The fancy bridge gate in Trarbach and Hotel Bellevue are just a few of his works.

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