Château de Wangenbourg, Wangenbourg-Engenthal, France

The Château de Wangenbourg is a ruined castle in the commune of Wangenbourg-Engenthal. In 1504, Holy Roman Emperor Maximilien I, having vanquished the Prince-elector, Philipp, in the war of succession of Bavaria, confiscated the castle from the Lords of Wangen, cousins Hans and Stephan von Wangen, for the favor to count Tiestein, who himself gave it to the Archbishop of Strasbourg, Wilhelm III von Hohnstein, in 1516. Nevertheless, a branch of descendants of the von Wangens, Georg and Hartmann, continued to occupy the castle. Between 1535 and 1550, they reconstructed their logis in the Renaissance style.

From 1578, the Archbishop of Strasbourg and the lords of Wangen disputed property rights concerning the castle. The Wangens were expelled in 1578, but re-established their rights in 1595. In 1680, the castle was occupied by French troops. In 1702, it was in ruins.

Restoration of the castle started at the beginning of the 20th century, and again in 1931. The footbridge in the photograph was constructed in 1961 to replace the old drawbridge.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Mees Beerda (6 months ago)
Great historic point in the area. The views on top of the castle are immaculate. Definitely would rev going for a hike in the area!

Nikita Y (7 months ago)
Great views and a really nice vibe. There are a lot of trails that lead to and from the castle. Perfect for hiking or trail running.

Jimmy Johnson (2 years ago)
Easy parking and short walk to chateau. Open to free roam and great views from top of the keep.

Sela Beeri (2 years ago)
Nice location for a stop on the way, but I wouldn't go especially to see it.

Postcode 3000 (2 years ago)
We stopped for a rest from driving and to enjoy the sunshine. Interesting place to walk and to climb the tower.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright discopalace

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Sigmaringen Castle

Sigmaringen Castle was first mentioned in the year 1077 in the chronicles of Petershausen monastery. The oldest parts of the castle are concealed beneath the alterations made during the 17th and the 19th centuries. The secret of the earliest settlement built on this defendable rock will never be fully revealed: large-scale excavation work would be necessary, which the extensive land development renders impossible. Judging from the many Roman remains unearthed in the area around Sigmaringen, the 12th century keep known as the 'Roman Tower' could be traced back to a Roman predecessor.

The castle remains that have been preserved (gate, great hall and keep) date back to the Staufer period around 1200. The castle remains were integrated into subsequent buildings. The foundations of the castle buildings are to a large extent identical to the surrounding castle wall.

These remains give us a good idea of how the castle might have looked during the 12th century.

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