Freundstein Castle

Freundstein Castle, locally known as Château de Freundstein, lies on a mountain east of the village of Goldbach-Altenbach in the Haut-Rhin department in France. This area is also known as the Southern Alsace or the Southern Vosges.

Freundstein Castle was probably built some decades before 1297, when it was first mentioned. It was then enfeoffed to the Lords of Waldner. They had ceded their castle before to 2 overlords; the Murbach Abbey and the Bishop of Strasbourg. The Waldner's then started to call themselves Waldner von Freundstein and they still own the castle to this day.

During the 14th century the castle already deteriorated, especially after damage caused by the 1356 Basel earthquake.

In 1441 Freundstein Castle was used to incarcerate 2 butchers from the town of Mulhouse. The people of Mulhouse then besieged the castle to free their townspeople. In 1490 the castle was besieged again, this time by the people of Stoultz-Haut-Rhine, backed by the Bishop of Strasbourg, who were at war with the Waldner von Freundstein.

During the German Peasants' War, in 1525, the castle was set on fire by the insurgent peasants. It was rebuilt afterwards. Later that century, in 1562, the castle was destroyed when it was struck by lightning. It was only partially restored afterwards but finally abandoned at the end of the 16th century.

Because of its high position, atop a 948 m high mountain, the castle ruin was used as an observation post by the French army from 1915 on, during World War I. As a result it was shelled several times by the Germans.

At present Freundstein Castle is freely accessible. That is, if you can find a safe way to get inside; I could not find it but apparently it can be done. A small ruin, not very interesting. But the drive to get to the forest path leading to it is worth the trip alone.

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