Château d'Altkirch, Medieval castle in Altkirch, France.
Château d'Altkirch is a medieval fortress located on a rocky outcrop above the Ill Valley with a circular design and thick defensive walls. A central tower formed the heart of this structure and commanded the surrounding landscape.
The Counts of Ferrette built the fortress in the 11th century and it received its first written mention in 1231. The structure maintained military importance until the 16th century, when its strategic role gradually diminished.
A chapel inside was dedicated to Saint Catherine and housed a 14th-century indulgence document according to local records. This shows the fortress served as both a military stronghold and a place where people carried out their religious observances.
The site is now partially destroyed as materials were removed around 1845 to build a new church in the town. Only a guardhouse called the 'maison de guet' remains standing and offers insight into the original structure.
Architectural plans from 1766 reveal the fortress had a perfectly circular design and was separated from the town by a wide defensive ditch. These documents are still kept in the town's archives and show how carefully the original layout was planned.
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