Château de Hohenbourg, Rock castle in Wingen, France
Château de Hohenbourg sits on the highest sandstone peak in the Northern Vosges and features a five-sided enclosure wall built with Renaissance design elements. The structure spreads across multiple levels of rock, making clever use of the natural terrain as part of its defensive system.
The fortress was built in the late 12th century and came under the Puller family's control from 1236 onward. The Sickingen family acquired it in the 15th century and held it until the site was eventually abandoned.
The castle exemplifies medieval military architecture with its artillery tower, featuring shooting chambers and gun ports integrated into the fortress design.
You can reach the castle from Lembach by heading toward Bitche and following the white diamond markers inside red circles along the forest trail. The path goes through wooded terrain and requires moderate footing stability on the rocky sections.
The fortress has a well carved directly into the rock and connected to a cistern through an underground passage. This ingenious water system allowed residents to remain self-sufficient during sieges.
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