As one of the most significant waterways in Europe, the Rhine posed high risks for sailors until the 19th century. The narrow passages at the Binger Loch and Loreley were particularly notorious and gave rise to numerous myths and legends. The Middle Rhine Valley also developed into an impressive landscape of castles. Especially in the section between Bingen and Koblenz, castles, ruins, palaces, and fortresses shape the landscape with remarkable density. The peak period of castle construction lasted from the 12th to the 14th century. The following times brought destruction to almost all Rhine fortifications. More than 200 years ago, these relics served as central starting points for Rhine romanticism for poets like Schlegel, Brentano, and von Arnim. Heinrich Heine's poem about the Loreley still embodies the essence of this era and is known far beyond the borders of Germany.