Hohenfels Castle

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

When Hohenfels Castle was built is unknown. It was first mentioned in 1293.

Until the mid-14th century the castle was owned by the Lords of Ettendorf. Three-quarters of it was sold to Ulrich von Finstingen in 1369. In 1383 half of the castle passed to the Counts of Leiningen through marriage.

In 1423 the castle was destroyed by the troops of the cities of Strasbourg and Haguenau. It was rebuilt and passed through the hands of several families. In 1525, during the German Peasants' War, the castle was destroyed again. It was again rebuilt. In 1679 it was finally burned to the ground by French troops, never to be rebuilt again.

Hohenfels Castle was built on a narrow rocky spur, divided into 2 by a dry moat. Not much remains of this semi-troglodyte castle but some ruined walls and some rooms, stairs and a well carved out of the sandstone rock.

It is freely accessible, although the top of the spur is inaccessible. A nice castle remnant.

Gallery