Haut-Barr Castle

Haut-Barr Castle, locally known as Château du Haut-Barr (or Hohbarr in German), lies on and between 3 narrow sandstone spurs on a mountain southwest of the town of Saverne, in the Bas-Rhin department in France. This area is also known as the Northern Alsace or the Middle Vosges.

Haut-Barr Castle was built sometime during the 12th century by the Bishop of Strasbourg for surveillance over the Zorn valley and the Plain of Alsace. Because of its position it was nicknamed "the Eye of the Alsace" by the people of Strasbourg.

During its existence it was transformed almost constantly. Between 1581 and 1586 the castle was adapted to the use of firearms by the then Bishop of Strasbourg; the Count of Manderscheid-Blankenheim, Jean IV.

When the Thirty Years' War ended, the Peace of Westphalia mandated that several castles in the region were dismantled. Haut-Barr was one of these and in 1649 the castle was destroyed. But after the beginning of the War of the Spanish Succession, in 1701, the castle was taken back in use again and restored. Throughout the most of the 18th century the castle was used until it was abandoned in about 1770.

At present Haut-Barr Castle was freely accessible. You can drive right up to the castle gate. There is a cafe-restaurant within the castle walls which is very popular with locals and tourists alike, so the place can be a bit overrun at times. When I visited, the north rock was not accessible for an unknown reason. A nice castle which offers great views over the surrounding countryside. You can also easily see Greifenstein Castle on the other side of the Zorn valley and Grand-Geroldseck Castle situated only some 500 meters to the south of Haut-Barr.

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