Last fall, we visited friends in Germany and spent a lot of time touring the Rheinland-Pfalz region. I'd driven through the area many times on previous trips, but never bothered to stop and look at much of anything. I'm really glad we got out of our rental car and took some walks this time around.

One of my favorite spots in the Pfalz is Trifels Castle. Most English-language books and websites make much of the fact that King Richard I of England, the Lionheart, was imprisoned in Trifels Castle after he returned from the Crusades. This is true, but there's a lot more to Trifels Castle than that.

Trifels Castle served as the Holy Roman Emperor's treasure repository several times during its history. The royal crown and regalia were kept here. Today, you can see replicas of the crown, scepter and other royal items; the real items are now on display in Vienna. You can also visit nearly every room in Trifels Castle. Some rooms have exhibits (mostly in German), and you pretty much have free run of the place unless the castle is being used for a special event.

I had a great time just wandering through the castle, peering out the windows and staring down at the forests, rocks and towns below. There are definitely some great photo opportunities at Trifels Castle.

Trifels Castle is near the town of Annweiler. Visitors park in a lot near a restaurant (pay inside to park; please don't cheat!) and hike up to the castle. There are several hiking trails in the area. I'd love to go back and explore them some day.

Take a look at our Trifels Castle photos and see the castle, crown and countryside for yourself.