Castle of the Old man-Windstein

The Château of the Old man-Windstein is located on the commune of Windstein, in the Département of the Low-Rhine.

The ruin is located on a narrow sandy bar, with a 340 m height, directly above the small borough of Windstein, in the the Vosges of North.

History

The first mention of the castle is gone back to 1205. In 1212, via Petrus V, abbot of Neubourg, the castle is built by the Hohenstaufen to protect their imperial palace from Haguenau. It was a stronghold of empire which the family of Windstein had. Then the castle was in double property: the lords de Sickingen and of Schmalenstein by having each one a part.

Become a haunt of robbers, the castle is destroyed in 1332, following a conflict with the town of Strasbourg. In spite of the prohibition of rebuilding which followed, it is raised during the 14th century, then burnt in 1515. It passes then in possession of Dürckheim. Its final ruin by the French going back to 1676.

Remarks

Underpasses were to direct to the Château of New-Windstein the, located at only ten minutes of walking. Are still to see the passages of the 14th century. It comprises two groups of constructions, separated by a ditch, corresponding to an old fault widened at the time of the division of the castle; it also includes/understands many troglodytic parts.

The access to the farmyard of the southern castle is done by a stone staircase cut in the rock. A house was built recently with the site of the commun runs. The rock comprises a platform arranged with semi height, difficult access, preceded by troglodytic rooms and a cistern of square section.

A large well of 41 meters was dug in the rock and the foundations of a Romance vault were put at the day. The summit part would preserve the trace of a keep at stones with embossing and at the top of the northern rock draws up a section of wall out of stones with embossing (fine 13th century, beginning 14th century), only remainder of a keep directed against the southern castle. This part also preserves the vestiges of a large tower of stone dwelling at embossing, as well as parts of the home (13th century,), preceding the farmyard.

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