Ghost of Burg Eltz
Burg Eltz was built in the 12th century along the lower Eltz River. The castle was built atop a 70-meter-high rock giving it a commanding view of the Elzbach Valley and River Eltz, which flowed around the base of the castle on three sides. Burg Eltz is one of the few Rhenish castles never to be destroyed. As a result of skillful diplomacy, the castle avoided conflict during the Thirty Years' War when the French destroyed most of the Rhine castles. Although the castle existed in relative peace through the centuries, it has a resident ghost.
The 15th Count of Eltz had a daughter named Agnes who was raised with brothers and loved to play as a knight with her brothers rather than dressing up in beautiful clothes, and she was strong-willed. As customary of the time and to strengthen the family's position, her father promised her in marriage to the Knight of Braunsberg. Agnes met the boy she was to marry, found him dull and aloof, and decided to ignore him.
A few years later, he was invited to a large festival at the castle in preparation for the marriage. During the festivities, Agnes again tried to ignore Braunsberg until he could not take it any longer and grabbed her onto the dance floor and kissed her. Her response was quick as she smacked him across the face. The embarrassed knight was enraged, threw his gloves at the feet of the Eltz family, and stormed out of the castle. Expecting the knight to return and attack the castle due to the disrespect he endured from Agnes, they waited anxiously, preparing to defend the castle and Agnes. Months went by with no sign of the knight, so the men of the family started to relax and left on a three-day hunting trip.
That very night, knights under the command of Braunsberg stormed the castle, killing the guardsmen. Agnes would not sit by and watch her home being attacked, so she donned her brother's armor and went out to fight. She came face to face with Knight Braunsberg and started attacking him. Not knowing it was Agnes under the armor, he fought back, striking her in the chest, whereby she collapsed and died. He lifted the visor on her helmet, realized what he had done, and fled the castle, never to be seen again.
The most haunted room in Burg Eltz is the Countess Room, which belonged to Agnes. The room still contains the armor she wore when she died and the battle-axe. Castle staff say Agnes also haunts the hallways, turning lights on and off and opening locked doors in the middle of the night. There are also claims of a phantom knight on horseback that is seen at the castle gate, and some say it may be Knight Braunsberg returning to the castle seeking forgiveness from Agnes.
