Château de Hohenbourg
Encyclopedia
The Château de Hohenbourg is a ruined castle
in the commune
of Wingen
, in the Bas-Rhin
département of France
.
) appeared in 1236, calling themselves from 1262 the Pullers of Hohenbourg. According to T. Biller, the earliest castle at Hohenbourg probably dates from the end of the 12th century and remains of this can still be seen: part of the enceinte
wall, the lower excavated levels of the northern building, a room carved from the rock with an arched door, and the well. The castle was modernised between 1420 and 1440, by Wirich II the elder. Following the death of the last of the Puller von Hohenburg line, the castle passed by inheritance to the Sickingens. At the start of the 16th century, Franz von Sickingen
modernised it and built barbican
s. Partially destroyed in 1523, the castle was rebuilt in 1542 by Franz Conrad von Sickingen. The door to the turret bears the date 1578. Abandoned during the Thirty Years' War
, the castle was destroyed by Montclar
in 1680. During work carried out in 1879 and 1880, numerous sculpted architectural elements were discovered from the gothic
and Renaissance
periods, many bearing dates and coats of arms of the Sickingens. Practically all were later stolen, but many are visible in old photographs.
, on a sandstone
ledge, it comprises a rocky outcrop, approximately square with two matching walls (south and east), a high enceinte with and inner courtyard and manor house, a northern courtyard, a U-shaped barbican with casemates in the north-west, a second barbican, a lower courtyard and ditch to the south. Access to the castle from the lists
, is through two gates (formerly with drawbridges) on the north and south sides of the casemated barbican. The barbican itself contains cannon firing holes and a door to the northern courtyard. Outside, on the south wall, is the Sickingens' shield. In the north courtyard are traces of buildings and stables. The Renaissance doorway to the inner courtyard has a sculpted doorframe - the Sickingen shield, vines, busts of a couple, heads of a man and a fool. Along the length of the rocky ledge are steps; on the platform there is no trace now of masonry
, but cut into the rock is what is thought to be a silo.
The inner courtyard is enclosed by a pentagonal enceinte built with dressed stone. On the north side are remains of a medieval residence with traces of vaulting below the present level. At the foot of the rock is a well dug into the rock with masonry vaulting and traces of a mill
. To the south is a cave roomwith an arched doorway. In the corner of the enceinte are the remains of a spiral staircase. Against the southern wall of the enceinte, the ruins of the manor house include a staircase tower whose doorway bears the date 1578 and the Sickingen arms and other rooms
The Château de Hohenbourg has been listed since 1898 as a monument historique
by the French Ministry of Culture.
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
in the commune
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
of Wingen
Wingen, Bas-Rhin
Wingen is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.-References:*...
, in the Bas-Rhin
Bas-Rhin
Bas-Rhin is a department of France. The name means "Lower Rhine". It is the more populous and densely populated of the two departments of the Alsace region, with 1,079,013 inhabitants in 2006.- History :...
département of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
History
The Pullers (descendants of the FleckensteinsChâteau du Fleckenstein
Château du Fleckenstein is a castle in the commune of Lembach, in the Bas-Rhin département of France. This fortress, built in the shape of 52 m long boat, has a long history. The castle was built on a sandstone summit in the Middle Ages...
) appeared in 1236, calling themselves from 1262 the Pullers of Hohenbourg. According to T. Biller, the earliest castle at Hohenbourg probably dates from the end of the 12th century and remains of this can still be seen: part of the enceinte
Enceinte
Enceinte , is a French term used technically in fortification for the inner ring of fortifications surrounding a town or a concentric castle....
wall, the lower excavated levels of the northern building, a room carved from the rock with an arched door, and the well. The castle was modernised between 1420 and 1440, by Wirich II the elder. Following the death of the last of the Puller von Hohenburg line, the castle passed by inheritance to the Sickingens. At the start of the 16th century, Franz von Sickingen
Franz von Sickingen
Franz von Sickingen was a German knight, one of the most notable figures of the first period of the Reformation.-Biography:He was born at Ebernburg near Bad Kreuznach...
modernised it and built barbican
Barbican
A barbican, from medieval Latin barbecana, signifying the "outer fortification of a city or castle," with cognates in the Romance languages A barbican, from medieval Latin barbecana, signifying the "outer fortification of a city or castle," with cognates in the Romance languages A barbican, from...
s. Partially destroyed in 1523, the castle was rebuilt in 1542 by Franz Conrad von Sickingen. The door to the turret bears the date 1578. Abandoned during the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
, the castle was destroyed by Montclar
Montclar
Montclar may refer to the following places:* Montclar, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, a commune in the department of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France* Montclar, Aude, a commune in the department of Aude, France...
in 1680. During work carried out in 1879 and 1880, numerous sculpted architectural elements were discovered from the gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
and Renaissance
Renaissance architecture
Renaissance architecture is the architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 17th centuries in different regions of Europe, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements of ancient Greek and Roman thought and material culture. Stylistically, Renaissance...
periods, many bearing dates and coats of arms of the Sickingens. Practically all were later stolen, but many are visible in old photographs.
Description
The castle was built on the highest summit of the northern Vosges MountainsVosges mountains
For the department of France of the same name, see Vosges.The Vosges are a range of low mountains in eastern France, near its border with Germany. They extend along the west side of the Rhine valley in a northnortheast direction, mainly from Belfort to Saverne...
, on a sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
ledge, it comprises a rocky outcrop, approximately square with two matching walls (south and east), a high enceinte with and inner courtyard and manor house, a northern courtyard, a U-shaped barbican with casemates in the north-west, a second barbican, a lower courtyard and ditch to the south. Access to the castle from the lists
Jousting
Jousting is a martial game or hastilude between two knights mounted on horses and using lances, often as part of a tournament.Jousting emerged in the High Middle Ages based on the military use of the lance by heavy cavalry. The first camels tournament was staged in 1066, but jousting itself did not...
, is through two gates (formerly with drawbridges) on the north and south sides of the casemated barbican. The barbican itself contains cannon firing holes and a door to the northern courtyard. Outside, on the south wall, is the Sickingens' shield. In the north courtyard are traces of buildings and stables. The Renaissance doorway to the inner courtyard has a sculpted doorframe - the Sickingen shield, vines, busts of a couple, heads of a man and a fool. Along the length of the rocky ledge are steps; on the platform there is no trace now of masonry
Masonry
Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar; the term masonry can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are brick, stone, marble, granite, travertine, limestone; concrete block, glass block, stucco, and...
, but cut into the rock is what is thought to be a silo.
The inner courtyard is enclosed by a pentagonal enceinte built with dressed stone. On the north side are remains of a medieval residence with traces of vaulting below the present level. At the foot of the rock is a well dug into the rock with masonry vaulting and traces of a mill
Mill (grinding)
A grinding mill is a unit operation designed to break a solid material into smaller pieces. There are many different types of grinding mills and many types of materials processed in them. Historically mills were powered by hand , working animal , wind or water...
. To the south is a cave roomwith an arched doorway. In the corner of the enceinte are the remains of a spiral staircase. Against the southern wall of the enceinte, the ruins of the manor house include a staircase tower whose doorway bears the date 1578 and the Sickingen arms and other rooms
The Château de Hohenbourg has been listed since 1898 as a monument historique
Monument historique
A monument historique is a National Heritage Site of France. It also refers to a state procedure in France by which national heritage protection is extended to a building or a specific part of a building, a collection of buildings, or gardens, bridges, and other structures, because of their...
by the French Ministry of Culture.
External links
- Ministry of Culture database entry for Château de Hohenbourg
- Pictures from Hohenbourg Castle on historische-orte.de
Source
- French Ministry of Culture database, accessed 1 Jan 2010