Schwalbach Castle, which was built by Count Eberhard V of Kazenelnbogen in the 14th century, is one of the loveliest and best preserved in the Taunus region. It served not only to protect the counts’ territory but also effectively underlined their claims to the inheritance of the Countess of Diez, Eberhard’s wife. The place is still impressive today, with a tapered shield wall that is up to 5 m thick and 21 m tall in places, and a tin-topped castle keep that stretches up to 40 m high, making it visible from a long way off.