Castle of the XIIth century, fortified in the XVth and become museum in 1871 with collections of weapons and furniture, guided tours proposed
Built in the 12th century, the Haut-Kœnigsbourg castle exerts a fascination which is not denied. Dominating the Alsace plain from the top of its 757 meters, this proud strategic stronghold has been passed from hand to hand during its long history. Built by the Hohenstaufen in 1147, it was destroyed in 1462 and entrusted to the Tiersteins who rebuilt it and gave it the definitive name of Hohkœnigsbourg. During the Thirty Years' War, the castle was plundered and burned by the Swedes and then abandoned for two centuries. In the 19th century, when Alsace was under German rule, its restoration was initiated by William II. In 1901, a specialist in medieval fortifications took charge. His name was Bodo Ebhardt. In order to carry out his task, he listed the archaeological remains collected on the site, studied archival documents and referred to other castles of the same period. Currently, various tours are offered: thematic, unusual, theatrical. The medieval garden can be visited from May to September. Throughout the year, events are organized and give life to this magical place. In addition to the Night of the Bat and the Night of the Museums, the program of events is constantly renewed. The castle can be reached from the Sélestat train station by a shuttle bus that runs on weekends and holidays from March to December, and every day in high season.
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Further information
Opening time and information on UPPER KŒNIGSBOURG CASTLE
Open all year round. Closed on 1 January, 1 May, and 25 December. Detailed timetables: consult the website. Free up to 6 years old. Adult: 9 €. Child (from 6 to 17 years old): 5 €. Group (20 people): 7 €. Free on the 1st Sundays from November to March and during the European Heritage Days. 2 € for people with disabilities for access to the audiovisual interpretation area. Holiday vouchers. Tourism & Handicap Label. Visitors' aids and activities for the disabled are available all year round. For more information, please contact us by phone or on the Internet. Guided tour (audio-guide 4,50 €). Catering. Free parking. 6 parking spaces reserved for the disabled.
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Members' reviews on UPPER KŒNIGSBOURG CASTLE
The ratings and reviews below reflect the subjective opinions of members and not the opinion of The Little Witty.
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Vue magnifique sur la vallée
Très bon commentaire audio
beaucoup de monde en août
L'architecture est originale mais malheureusement les salles sont vides et manques de panneaux didactiques...
Cela reste un bel héritage du passé !
Les pièces du logis sont meublées avec les objets collectionnas par la Hohkönigsburgverein entre 1900 et 1914. Il s'agit de collections de meubles (coffres et armoires des 15e et 17e siècles), d'armes blanches (hallebardes, épées, etc des 15e et 17e siècles) et de copies de canons des 15e et 17e siècles offertes au château au début du 20e siècle par l'arsenal de Berlin. Les poêles à carreaux de céramiques sont des copies de ceux qui existaient dans le château médiéval. Par ailleurs, sachez qu'une vingtaine de panneaux de médiation trilingues (F-D-GB) ont été rajoutés sur l'ensemble du circuit de visite au mois de juillet 2021. Nous espérons vous accueillir à nouveau pour partager avec vous les richesses du château et de ses collections :)