Andlau Castle

Andlau Castle - Château d'Andlau, Andlau, Lower Rhine, Great East, French Republic.

Andlau Castle is located in the French town of the same name. It was built atop a forested, rocky hill at an elevation of approximately 450 meters, overlooking two valleys: the Andlau to the south and the Barr to the north.
Andlau was constructed in 1246 by Eberhard von Andlau. It consists of an elongated residential building, fortified at each end by a round tower, and spans several floors. The ground floor served as a storage area—primarily for barrels of wine—while the second and third floors contained living quarters. On the western façade, there are large arched windows; those on one level are designed in the Gothic style, while those on another reflect the Renaissance style.
The castle was built using local granite. On one side, it is protected by a naturally steep mountain slope, while the other sides are defended by a large moat equipped with drawbridges.
Throughout various wars and battles, the castle was frequently plundered and devastated. In the 16th century, extensive reconstruction work was carried out to remodel the structure.
In 1678, following the incorporation of Alsace into France, the castle was looted by French troops under the command of Marshal de Créquy; however, it remained in the possession of the Counts of Andlau until the French Revolution. In 1796, the castle was sold to an entrepreneur who dismantled it and sold the stone as building material. In 1818, a descendant of the counts, François Antoine Henri d’Andlau, managed to purchase the ruined castle, halting its further destruction. Subsequently, restoration and reconstruction efforts were undertaken. To this day, the castle remains the property of the Andlau family.