Château du Nouveau-Windstein, Rock castle in Windstein, France.
Château du Nouveau-Windstein is a fortified castle situated on a sandstone hilltop with surviving walls, a central tower, and defensive structures featuring arrowslits. The layout shows multiple construction periods, ranging from the original defenses to later modifications adapted for cannons and firearms.
This fortress was founded around 1339 following the destruction of an earlier settlement, and functioned as a holding of the bishops of Speyer. Major renovations in the 15th century strengthened the structure to withstand new military technologies.
The name refers to its origin as a replacement fortress built after an earlier castle was destroyed in the region. Visitors can observe how the defensive design reflects the military thinking of its era through the placement of walls and fortifications.
Access to the site involves a walk of about 30 minutes from the town center, with marked trails of the Alsace Fortified Castles Trail providing clear direction. Sturdy footwear and some physical fitness are helpful, as the ascent is steep and the terrain can be uneven.
Underground tunnels beneath the fortress date back to a medieval siege, revealing how attackers attempted to undermine the defenses through mining techniques. These subterranean passages offer rare physical evidence of such medieval military engineering approaches.
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