Castle of Salm

castle of Salm , it remains only ruins located in the valley of the Bruche, commune of Broque, the Low-Rhine, Alsace (department of the Vosges before 1870).

History

The castle of Salm was high between 1205 and 1225 per Henri III, count of Salm, on the territory of the abbey of Senones of which he was the solicitor. The family of Salm was at this beginning of 13th century one of most powerful of Lorraine. His/her small son Henri IV reorganized the saltworks of Morhange as well as the forging mills of Framont located near the castle, but its industrial policy caused towards 1259 the military reaction of the bishop of Metz which occupied its installations, obliging the count to sell his castles to him of Salm and Pierre-Opening and to pay homage then to him. In 1285, the Trouvère Lorraine Jacques Bretel spent several days to the castle where it met the count Henri IV. He consigned in his work “the tournament of Chauvency” his passage to the castle. The site still knows an important occupation throughout the 14th century (activities of foundry, metallurgy and pottery) and seems to have to be then gradually abandoned to fall in ruin after 1500. It is quoted ruined in 1564. The prince de Salm-Salm, going down from the counts, came in visit to the castle in 1779, as the epitaph testifies some to a Bas-relief. The ruin was classified Historic building on December 6th, 1898.

Description

Installed on a rock bar of red sandstone to 809 m of altitude, the castle seems to have been an architectural realization of Gothic style neat. An arched cistern is still visible as well as an imposing closed circular semi tower with the throat acting as Donjon dominating a portery. The ruin is currently the object of release and consolidation by the watchers of Salm () (since 2003), association placed under the aegis of the Services of the Historic buildings (Alsace Area).

Random links: