Schrankenfels, Medieval castle ruins in Soultzbach-les-Bains, France
Schrankenfels is a castle ruin perched on a rocky outcrop in the Vosges mountains, dominated by a pentagonal stone keep. The structure rises at approximately 790 meters elevation and displays the remaining walls that once formed part of a fortified compound.
The fortress was built in the early 1220s by the Gueberschwihr family and later came under control of the Prince-Bishopric of Strasbourg. By the 14th century it had passed to the administration of the Hattstat family before eventual abandonment.
The castle architecture demonstrates medieval defensive innovations through its arrow slits with splayed niches, marking early developments in Alsatian fortification design.
The ruins are currently not open to visitors due to loose stone and safety concerns. Hiking trails nearby offer safe viewing points from which visitors can see the structure from a distance.
The pentagonal keep contains some of the earliest examples of splayed arrow slits with rounded chambers, a rare defensive feature in medieval fortifications. This innovation is found in only a few castles of the region and represents an important development in military architecture.
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