Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg


Chateau du Haut-Koenigsbourg from a distance
From a distance © LKL

Originally named Staufenberg, this fortified castle was built by the Hohenstaufen, a German noble family, in the 12th century. The name changed to Königsburg (king’s castle) and eventually, in reference to its altitude of around 3,000 feet, Hohkönigsburg (king’s high castle), which was adapted in French to Haut-Kœnigsbourg.

After being destroyed in 1462, the castle was rebuilt and enlarged, only to be burned and abandoned less than 200 years later. In 1862, the ruins were declared a historical monument, and the town of Séléstat began a restoration project, which was abandoned due to lack of funds.


Ruins of Haut-Kœnigsbourg
Model of the ruins © LKL

The monumental task of restoring the château finally got underway in 1900 and continued for eight years, before the château was opened up to the public. The workmanship is fantastic, and different tours are available based on your interests; we visited the château as part of our Route des vins d’Alsace tour. Apparently it’s particularly nice to visit at Christmas, but whatever time of year you might be in Alsace, be sure to include a visit to this beautiful castle on your itinerary.

Official site: Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg

This article is part of my travelog about my summer 2010 trip along the French borders, including the six corners of the Hexagon – see map.


Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg
 
Chateau du Haut-Koenigsbourg
© LKL    © LKL

Topics: France
 

One thought on “Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg

  1. Richard says:

    Yes, this is a beautiful site. A must see. The location is lovely as well. I was fortunate to go there after a rain so the air was clear and one could see for miles over the valley of the Rhine.

    I suggest going as early as possible in the morning before all the tour buses start arriving.

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