Lutzelhardt Castle

Lutzelhardt Castle, locally known as Château de Lutzelhardt, lies in the woods west of the village of Obersteinbach, in the Bas-Rhin department in France. This area is also known as the Northern Alsace or the Northern Vosges.

Lutzelhardt Castle was probably built around 1200 by the Vogt of the town of Wasselonne. It was first mentioned in 1250. It was heavily damaged by sieges; in 1397 by the people of Strasbourg, in 1462 by the people of Wissembourg and perhaps even during the Peasants' War in 1525. By 1538 it was abandoned and left to fall to ruin. The ruins were probably further destroyed during the Thirty Years' War between 1618 and 1648.

The semi-troglodyte castle is built upon 2 narrow sandstone spurs, separated by a fault, with a large bailey at the foot of the spurs. The spurs are about 20 m high and (combined) some 60 m long.

Lutzelhardt Castle is a nice small castle ruin. It is freely accessible.

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