Romantic Rhine's interconnected fortresses
** collaborative efforts of Castle Owners and Tourism Professionals**
Over thirty castle owners, tenants, and tourism experts convened at Sinzig Castle during the annual Romantic Rhine Castle Network conference. Established in 2013, this project serves as an interdisciplinary platform for exchanging ideas and promoting the joint tourism development of the castle landscape along the Romantic Rhine.
Stretching from Bingen/Rüdesheim to Remagen/Unkel, more than sixty castles and palaces contribute to the stunning landscape of the Middle Rhine. Originally used for defensive, toll collection, or representative purposes, they now serve as museums, restaurants, or hotels.
Kristina Neitzert, managing director of Romantic Rhine Tourism GmbH (RRT), emphasizes the importance of fostering active exchange among all parties involved. Dr. Angela Kaiser-Lahme, director of Castles, Palaces, and Monuments, shares this sentiment, emphasizing the need to provide professional information, especially to monument owners.
The day began with welcoming remarks by Andreas Geron, the mayor of Sinzig, Agnes Menacher, the director of the Heimatmuseum Schloss Sinzig, Dr. Angela Kaiser-Lahme, and Kristina Neitzert. Presentations followed on various topics, starting with fire protection concepts for castles and palaces, presented by Marcel Hommens of Defensio Ignis GmbH. Michael Dahlen of Dahlen Haustechnik then spoke about heating renovation and energy savings in historic buildings, using the heat pump implemented at Gutenfels Castle as a practical example.
The afternoon continued with a focus on tourism topics. Katharina Schattner of Romantic Rhine Tourism GmbH presented cooperation opportunities for castle owners, including the RRT GmbH image database, the podcast series "Rheinflüstern," and the new digital castle brochure. The next subject was the Federal Garden Show 2029, where Rolf Wölfert of BUGA 2029 gGmbH provided insights into the current planning status and initial ideas for the development of tourist products.
The event offered opportunities for networking and exchange among participants. A guided tour of the current special exhibition "Not for Eternity - Bridges in the Ahr Valley" concluded the day.
Kristina Neitzert expressed her satisfaction with the Romantic Rhine Castle Network, stating that it provides an open platform for colleagues to discuss current issues and possible solutions. Dr. Angela Kaiser-Lahme added that the great interest of the participants demonstrates the significance of such exchanges. Future meetings are already in the planning stages for the spring.
The collaborative efforts of castle owners and tourism professionals extended to discussing home-and-garden topics, as Katharina Schattner presented cooperation opportunities for castle owners, including the RRT GmbH image database, which could highlight outdoor-living spaces and gardens associated with the castles. This interdisciplinary collaboration aims to enrich tourist experiences, showcasing not only the historical structures but also the surrounding lifestyle.
