Wasenbourg, Medieval rock castle in Niederbronn-les-Bains, France.
Wasenbourg is a ruined rock castle set on a forested promontory in the Northern Vosges, above the town of Niederbronn-les-Bains in Alsace. The surviving walls form vaulted chambers across several levels, with thick stone construction that visitors can walk through today.
The castle was built in the 13th century and changed hands among local noble families who used it to control the surrounding territory. It gradually fell into disuse after the late medieval period and was never rebuilt.
The pointed arches carved into the remaining walls give a clear sense of how the builders of this region worked in the Gothic style during the medieval period. Visitors who look closely at the stonework can spot where different construction phases meet.
A marked trail leads up from the valley near Niederbronn-les-Bains, and the climb calls for sturdy footwear, especially when the ground is wet. Once at the top, it is worth allowing enough time to explore the different levels of the surviving walls at a relaxed pace.
Just behind the castle walls, there are traces of a Roman temple once dedicated to the god Mercury. This means the hilltop was already considered a place of importance centuries before any medieval construction began.
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