Château du Bernstein, Medieval castle in Dambach-la-Ville, France.
Château du Bernstein is a fortress at 552 meters altitude with an 18-meter-high pentagonal keep and a hexagonal residence featuring loopholes and semi-circular windows. These two main structures together form the distinctive layout of this medieval fortification.
The fortress was built in the early 11th century and first belonged to the Counts of Eguisheim-Dabo. In 1227 it was captured by the Bishop of Strasbourg through siege, after which it came under new control.
The name comes from a granite rock formation where bears once lived, with Bernstein meaning rock of the bear in the Germanic language.
Access to the castle involves a roughly 2-kilometer walk from the nearest station and entry is free. Sturdy footwear and some time for the uphill sections are helpful when exploring the grounds.
The fortress contains an underground cistern in the lower courtyard that was essential for water storage. A square tower within the complex once housed a chapel dedicated to Saint Margaret.
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