BACHARACH

bacharach, a town of germany, in the prussian rhine province, romantically situated on the left bank of the rhine, 30 m. above coblenz on the railway to mainz. pop. 2000. there is an interesting church, a basilica, dating from the beginning of the 13th century. there are also ruins of a gothic church of the 13th and 15th centuries. the ruined castle of stahleck, crowning the heights above the town, is celebrated in history as the scene of the marriage between henry, eldest son of henry the lion (shortly before the latter's death in 1195) and agnes of hohenstaufen, which effected a temporary reconciliation between the houses of welf and hohenstaufen. other ruined castles are those of fuerstenberg and stahlberg. all three belonged to the counts palatine. the wines of bacharach were once held in the greatest esteem, and it is still one of the chief markets of the rhenish wine trade.