Wasenbourg (german: Wasenburg), located 400 metres in height on the northwest hillside of Reisberg, is a ruined castle in the North

Vosges The Vosges ( , ; german: Vogesen ; Franconian and gsw, Vogese) are a range of low mountains in Eastern France, near its border with Germany. Together with the Palatine Forest to the north on the German side of the border, they form a single ...

. It is a recognized historical monument since 1898. Château fort, Château Wasenbourg Although its origins are fairly obscure, the historians attribute generally its construction, by 1273, to

Conrad de Lichtenberg Conrad of Lichtenberg (german: Konrad von Lichtenberg; french: Conrad de Lichtenberg; 1240 – 1 August 1299) was a bishop of Strasbourg in the 13th century. Lichtenberg was born to a wealthy family and entered the clergy at the age of 13. He ...

, then bishop of Strasbourg. The castle is located on the territory of the commune of

Niederbronn-les-Bains Niederbronn-les-Bains () is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Grand Est in north-eastern France. It is positioned between Bitche and Wissembourg, close to the current frontier with Germany. Niederbronn-les-Bains is part of the Northern Vo ...

History

The castle is quoted first time in a charter dated 1335 during a division of the Licthenberg family possessions. It is enfeoffed by these last ones to Guillaume de Born (or of Burne) in 1378. In 1398, during a Fehde, Wasenbourg is besieged by the gathered troops of the bishop and the city of Strasbourg. Afterward, it will be used as residence by the vassals of the Lichtenberg, notably Hofwart de Kirchheim ( 1407 ) and Simon de Zeiskam ( 1453 ). With the extinction of the

Lichtenberg lineage Lichtenberg () is the eleventh borough of Berlin, Germany. In Berlin's 2001 administrative reform it absorbed the former borough of Hohenschönhausen. Overview The district contains the Tierpark Berlin in Friedrichsfelde, the larger of Berlin's ...

in 1480, it passes by inheritance to Simon Wecker IV of Two Deux-Ponts-Bitche. Seriously damaged during the

Peasants' War This is a chronological list of conflicts in which peasants played a significant role. Background The history of peasant wars spans over two thousand years. A variety of factors fueled the emergence of the peasant revolt phenomenon, including: ...

in 1525, it will be raised from its ruins by Jacques de Deux-Ponts-Bitche in 1535. In 1570, a quarrel of inheritance sets Linange against Hanau-Lichtenberg, both of them successors of Deux-Ponts-Bitche. Jean-Jacob Niedheimer, baillif of

Hanau Hanau () is a town in the Main-Kinzig-Kreis, in Hesse, Germany. It is located 25 km east of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main and is part of the Frankfurt Rhine-Main, Frankfurt Rhine-Main Metropolitan Region. Its Hanau Hauptbahnhof, station is a ...

, takes advantage of it to occupy the place and assumes even the title of nobility "of Wasenbourg". The castle seems to have been saved during the War of Thirty Years (1618-1648) but will be finally dismantled by the troops of Louis XIV in 1677. The site was outstandingly emphasized by recent works of consolidation and of restoration. The castle presents the peculiarity not to possess a keep. An 18 metre high, 14 metre long and 3 metre thick

shield wall A shield wall ( or in Old English, in Old Norse) is a military formation that was common in ancient and medieval warfare. There were many slight variations of this formation, but the common factor was soldiers standing shoulder to shoulder ...

overhanging a deep ditch is enough to protect the lodging house towards the attack. A plate overhanging the entrance of the castle commemorates the visit of

Goethe Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, statesman, theatre director, and critic. His works include plays, poetry, literature, and aesthetic criticism, as well as treat ...

of 1771. East of the lower yard raises a rock known as "le Wachtfelsen", testimony of a Roman worship dedicated to the god

Mercury Mercury commonly refers to: * Mercury (planet), the nearest planet to the Sun * Mercury (element), a metallic chemical element with the symbol Hg * Mercury (mythology), a Roman god Mercury or The Mercury may also refer to: Companies * Merc ...

. Having crossed the lower yard, we penetrate into the enclosure wall itself. An oriel window overhangs the East wall of the castle. The access to the lodging house is made by a door in broken bow overhung by a sculptured head integrated into a Gothic frieze.Wasenbourg
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References

{{coord, 48.960, N, 7.616, E, display=title, source:dewiki Monuments historiques of Bas-Rhin Rock castles Ruined castles in Bas-Rhin