A beautiful restored chateau in the Alsace region of France, between Strasbourg and Colmar. The first castle here was built sometime before the 12th century. However, the nobles who owned it in the 15th century were allowing local robber barons to use the castle as a hideout and staging area for their bandit gangs; the locals finally got fed up with it and a few of the larger towns nearby joined forces and attacked the castle and burned it in 1462.
The castle was rebuilt in the latter part of that century and new artillery fortifications were added. However, during the Thirty Years’ War, it was beseiged by the Swedes, who eventually took the fortress and burned it down yet again.
Following that, the castle lay in ruins for a few hundred years, until Kaiser Wilhelm II decided to have it restored at the turn of the 20th century as a monument to the might of the German empire. It was restored as best as possible to look like it did before the Thirty Years’ War, though historic records weren’t always complete, and changes were also made for the sake of glorifying Germany and the Kaiser’s own dynasty. While the restoration may not be entirely accurate, it’s very well done, and the castle is definitely worth a visit. The views are incredible as well, particularly from the cannon tower
phyneas says
A beautiful restored chateau in the Alsace region of France, between Strasbourg and Colmar. The first castle here was built sometime before the 12th century. However, the nobles who owned it in the 15th century were allowing local robber barons to use the castle as a hideout and staging area for their bandit gangs; the locals finally got fed up with it and a few of the larger towns nearby joined forces and attacked the castle and burned it in 1462.
The castle was rebuilt in the latter part of that century and new artillery fortifications were added. However, during the Thirty Years’ War, it was beseiged by the Swedes, who eventually took the fortress and burned it down yet again.
Following that, the castle lay in ruins for a few hundred years, until Kaiser Wilhelm II decided to have it restored at the turn of the 20th century as a monument to the might of the German empire. It was restored as best as possible to look like it did before the Thirty Years’ War, though historic records weren’t always complete, and changes were also made for the sake of glorifying Germany and the Kaiser’s own dynasty. While the restoration may not be entirely accurate, it’s very well done, and the castle is definitely worth a visit. The views are incredible as well, particularly from the cannon tower