Hello everyone, I am back with another weekend adventure. This time our destination in France was Haut Koenigsbourg Castle. We passed through the streets of a charming town. The locals had planted flowers around old-style buildings. The church ahead of us was beautiful and quite impressive. The houses here looked like gingerbread houses.
We traveled through the Alsace region. It was a sunny summer day and the temperature was 29 degrees. We started driving uphill. This place is not just a ruin. It's a fully intact castle and quite interesting.
Haut Koenigsbourg is located near the town of Sélestat, in the Bas-Rhin region of France, at the peak of the Vosges mountain range, 800 meters above sea level and 55 kilometers south of Strasbourg. The castle is made of red sandstone and integrated into the rock. It is a strong fortress and a perfect example of a luxurious feudal residence from the Middle Ages.
Koenigsbourg was built in the first half of the 10th century. The first written record of the castle dates back to 1147. The castle was destroyed during wars and was restored at the request of Emperor Wilhelm II at the beginning of the 20th century. Today it is one of France's most famous tourist attractions, visited by about half a million tourists each year.
Upon entering the castle, we saw decorations made for a film shot here in 1937. There is a sign showing photos from that time and the stairs the actors used. Jean Renoir's film "La Grande Illusion" was filmed here.
There are beautifully carved figures on the castle walls. The entrance is very colorful. Above the door there is a dog figure, suggesting that this area was guarded by dogs in ancient times.
Inside the door there is a small door and above it stands a large castle. We walked around the inner courtyard and examined the interior. Inside there is a well. It is quite a lively courtyard. The castle well's water was used for drinking and cooking.
The castle was destroyed during the siege by the Swedes in 1633. Restoration work continued until 1908 and cost 2 million marks. The castle is now used as a historical museum with objects from the Middle Ages and Renaissance periods. There is also a large collection of weapons and an armory filled with furniture from old centuries. We saw places where horses were tied up, making it impossible for them to escape.
There is a small shop here. Costumes greeted us at the entrance and these costumes can be purchased here.
The shop is located on the site of an old carpenter's workshop. The shelves are filled with many knight figures and small souvenirs. The chess sets are beautiful. This is truly an old carpenter's workshop. Perhaps horseshoes were fitted to horses hooves here. There is also a stove, indicating that metalwork was done here.
Tickets are 12 Euros per person. They asked us where we were from and which region. Statistics are very important here. Across the way there is a stand where you can get information in every language. Various languages are available. We took our brochures and continued on.
Construction work here lasted for 8 years. It seems these trees are really old, nailed with wooden nails. Of course, it was restored in 1900, which is why it looks like this.
This castle provided shelter from the heat because it was cool and comfortable inside the castle walls. There are balconies around the walls where you can walk, providing passage from one room to another. There is also a drawbridge here, raised with chains and there is a cliff below, not very deep, about 10 meters.
When we went inside, we saw another well. Water was drawn from the well with two buckets. The well was noted to be 62 meters deep.
We continued to explore the interesting places here. There is a cover over a door, which could be a type of emergency exit. If enemies infiltrated this area, this door could be opened to pour hot liquid or coal on them.
We moved to an open courtyard with very high ceilings and plenty of windows. It was cool and comfortable here. The walls are really thick. There is also a door made of iron. An exhibition is held here, showing how the castle was restored. The entire history is told here.
We returned to the inner courtyard. There is a shallow well here and water was drawn with the help of a wheel. This structure is quite interesting.
There is also another interesting structure. The fire hydrant here is designed in the shape of an animal figure.
We moved to an inner courtyard with a mermaid figure. Here, there are kitchen utensils, an old sink and a large stove. Meals were cooked on two stoves. There is a wine cellar with wine barrels and carvings have been made on a large barrel.
The kitchen has a beautiful mural. We wanted to go up and see the inside of a three-story structure with a wooden balcony and a tower. Two figures stand out: one is a knight and the other is another person, both in iron armor. While climbing the stairs, we saw a beautiful angel figure. The stair railings are made of stone and have special grooves for fingers. The railings are quite interesting. There are iron bars. Everything here has been thought out in the finest detail.
It's possible to get lost among the stairs and hidden doors. It would have been difficult without the signs. The stairs are made with stone carvings. The craftsmanship is quite impressive. The door locks and roof tiles are also beautiful. Unfortunately, the spiral staircase goes further, but we can't see it because everything is closed.
Then we moved to the wooden room. The walls and ceilings are covered with wood and there are large stoves that heat these rooms in cold weather. There is a beautiful iron chest and a large table. It's a dark room, with only two windows providing light.
We entered a beautiful room where knights would gather and celebrate. The chandeliers are also very beautiful. There are paintings on the walls depicting the lives of knights and knightly battles. Almost every room has a fireplace, which is indispensable in cold weather. Many figures are detailed here. This castle is truly beautiful.
The castle eventually became a storage place for items. You can see old items and furniture here. Each room has a beautiful fireplace, each adorned with ceramics. The Imperial Hall is decorated with the coats of arms of the German lands. There is a large Imperial Eagle on the ceiling and knight scenes depicting the castle's history on the walls.
This castle is really impressive. You could spend hours here. Everything is very beautiful. The castle changed ownership several times throughout history and was destroyed in 1454 because it housed bandit knights. Later, in the 19th century, it was rebuilt by German Emperor Wilhelm II. Wilhelm II took the restoration of the castle seriously and assigned this task to Berlin architect Bodo Eber. After excavations were made at the castle, the restoration began and Eber tried to restore the castle to its former state by examining the documents and pictures of its past.
It can be difficult to wander through the labyrinths and cellars. Walking in the narrow corridors is tough. We approached the end of our tour. It was very interesting to see how people lived in this castle, the knights furniture, paintings and armor. As we wandered, we connected with history and imagined how everything was. Then we returned to the courtyard where we started.
Our tour was very interesting. We learned many things and then left this castle. The stonework at the door is quite impressive. There is also a horseshoe above the door. It is believed that a horseshoe is a talisman that protects the home from evils, envy and enmities. When hung above the door, it is believed to bring abundance and luck to the family. The upward-facing horseshoe symbolizes all success and abundance. When facing downward, it protects the home from misfortunes.
There are sharp iron spikes above the doors, making it difficult for enemies to enter the castle. The high doors were thought out for defense strategies. Enemies could not quickly get inside and only those left outside could cause harm. The castle is truly fascinating. These doors and other details are very interesting. After touring the castle, we went outside.
We enjoyed our tour of the castle very much. Then we took a walk in the cool forest. Our walking path passed around the castle. In the forest we could see the size of the castle and its remnants. There was life in this area once. Now it has turned into a beautiful forest where only birds sing.
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Very nice place and I love looking at the building.
Thank you so much for your comment. I’m glad you enjoyed the building
I always thought that the armory is the best part of every castle out there but Haut Koenigsbourg Castle is different for sure! From architecture to room designs, from surroundings to every single decoration! I love it and it sure deserves all the popularity within the tourists visiting it!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts
Pleasure all mine!
I love these old structures, and even more so when they keep old objects.
I completely agree. It’s like stepping back in time
In one of my trip I remember I passed close to this caste but I never visited it what a shame now that I read your post I feel so stupid to don't have a stop in that place, looks amazing!
Maybe it just means you have a great reason to go back and explore Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle next time 😊 I’m sure you’ll find it just as amazing in person as it looks in the photos.
I love how it’s been preserved and restored. The details like the medieval kitchen and the iron doors are so cool. It’s like stepping back in time!
I’m so glad you appreciate those details too. The restoration work really brings the castle to life.