The Archbishops of Cologne probably had the present Stahleck Castle built around 1135, replacing an earlier fortification. French troops blew it up on March 15, 1689, during the War of the Palatine Succession. Crown Prince Frederick William of Prussia bought the ruin in 1828 for his wife.
The castle seen today is a twentieth-century reconstruction. Ernst Stahl designed the rebuilding of the 1920s and 1930s, based on excavations and Matthäus Merian's engraving of 1646. The round keep has a cone-shaped roof, and the castle has a partly water-filled moat that doubles as a cistern. It stands about 520 feet (160 meters) above sea level.
A landmark preservation association acquired the ruin and the hostel was dedicated in 1926. It is a youth hostel with 168 beds, and its courtyard is open to the public.
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