Château d'Échéry, Medieval castle ruins in Sainte-Croix-aux-Mines, France.
Château d'Échéry is a limestone castle ruin on a rocky outcrop northwest of town, featuring heavy buttresses and traces of its original structure throughout the site. The complex includes a chapel built in 1460 outside the main walls and evidence of a dividing wall that once separated the property into distinct sections.
The castle was founded in 1250 under the influence of the Duchy of Lorraine and served its original family for generations. Following disputes over succession, the site was divided between two rival noble families who clashed repeatedly over ownership and control.
The name comes from the Echery family who built the castle and gave it their name. The chapel from 1460 shows how important religious spaces were to the residents, with its location outside the walls being typical of how medieval nobility arranged their estates in this region.
The ruins are freely accessible on a hilltop with good views of the surrounding landscape, but reaching them requires climbing up steep terrain. Wear sturdy shoes and watch for uneven ground as you explore the site.
Though the castle endured at least two major sieges throughout its history, its walls remain remarkably intact with visible traces of these violent episodes still apparent today. A local association has taken responsibility for caring for the ruins since 1993, preventing them from disappearing entirely.
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