Les Trois Châteaux, Medieval castles on Schlossberg hill in Eguisheim, France
Les Trois Châteaux consists of three separate towers built from pink sandstone positioned on a hill at 591 meters elevation overlooking the Alsace plain. The structures form a triangular arrangement, with each tower maintaining its own distinct shape and construction style.
The oldest tower was built in the early 1000s under Count Hugo IV of Eguisheim, following earlier Roman fortifications that had occupied this location. The structures later experienced multiple destructions and rebuildings before eventually being abandoned and surviving today as ruins.
The three towers have shaped the identity of Eguisheim for centuries and remain central to how locals see their village. Visitors today notice the distinctive pink sandstone that gives these structures their recognizable color when viewed from the surrounding area.
The climb requires sturdy footwear and takes roughly half an hour from Eguisheim, with the path going uphill and steep in some sections. The ground can be slippery after rain, so caution is needed and sure-footedness helps during the ascent.
On clear days visitors can see the three towers from the valley below in a perfect triangular formation, a rare geometric arrangement in the architecture of this region. This characteristic shape has made them an unmistakable landmark in the landscape over centuries.
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