Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg.

Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg - Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle, Orschwiller, Bas-Rhin, Grand Est, République Française.

   Built in the 12th century, Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle has witnessed centuries of conflict and rivalry between lords, kings, and emperors.
   Passing the high gates of Haut-Koenigsbourg, you are immersed in a medieval universe. From the lower courtyard with its forge and mill to the spiral staircases leading to the castle's furnished rooms, you are greeted by an architecture and atmosphere steeped in the stories of that era.
   Drawbridges, an armory, a dungeon, and cannons are a constant reminder of the vocation of this mountain fortress, which was besieged, destroyed, and sacked in 1633. In 1865, the fortress was acquired by the city of Sélestat.
    In 1899, this prestigious fortified castle was donated by the city of Sélestat to Wilhelm II Hohenzollern. Dreaming of a revival of the old German empire, he satisfied his passion for the Middle Ages by entrusting the restoration of the castle to the architect Bodo Ebhardt, a specialist in medieval fortifications.