Dagsburg, Rock castle in Dabo, France

Dagsburg is a rock formation in the Vosges made of pink sandstone that rises roughly 30 meters above the surrounding forest and reaches a height of about 650 meters. The site holds medieval castle ruins and a chapel built in the 19th century that sits at its summit.

A count named Eberhard I of Dagsburg-Eguisheim built the first castle here in 934, and it served as a strategic fortress for centuries. The structure was destroyed in 1679 on orders from King Louis XIV, after which religious buildings eventually replaced it.

The chapel honours Leo IX, pope from 1048, whose mother Heilwig came from the Lotharingian Dagsburg line; he was not born at Dabo. The first chapel of 1828 was replaced in 1889–1892 by the present neo-Romanesque building with its bell tower. The rock and its religious buildings have been a protected site since 10 August 1935.

Visitors arrive by car and use the parking area at the base of the rock, then climb a short flight of about 60 steps to reach the summit. The ascent is straightforward and takes just a few minutes for most people.

The rock measures 30 metres high, 80 metres long and 26 metres wide, and its flat top stands at 664 metres on the Schlossberg. The castle that once crowned it was razed in 1679 by order of Louis XIV, so only the rock platform remains beneath the chapel. The site has been a protected classified site since 10 August 1935.