Located at an altitude of 443 metres at the end of the ridge, Château de l'Ortenbourg was built between 1260 and 1265 by Rudolf Habsburg to the site of older castle. It is one of the most beautiful ruins in the Rhine Valley.
In 1291, on the death of Rudolf, Otto IV opposed the election of Albert of Habsburg and supported Adolphe de Nassau. In 1293, Otton joined the siege and had the Ramstein built to take Ortenbourg; and after three weeks of sieges, the Austrians surrendered and the Val de Villé was invaded by Otto.
From the 16th century the castle started to dilapidate as a result of a lack of maintenance, although it is inhabited until the beginning of the 17th century. In 1633 the Swedes set fire to the castle.
Today Ortenbourg is a masterpiece of military architecture with its high shirt surrounding a 32-meter dungeon, is visible from a distance and fits remarkably in the landscape. This dungeon offered 6 levels of defensive fire and its pentagonal design allowed for better deflection of the attackers' projectiles.
The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous additions and modifications during their history, they were the last great fortification system of antiquity, and one of the most complex and elaborate systems ever built. They were also the largest and strongest fortification in both the ancient and medieval world.
Initially built by Constantine the Great, the walls surrounded the new city on all sides, protecting it against attack from both sea and land. As the city grew, the famous double line of the Theodosian Walls was built in the 5th century. Although the other sections of the walls were less elaborate, they were, when well-manned, almost impregnable for any medieval besieger.