Lichtenberg Castle

" Overlooking the village of Lichtenberg, at an altitude of 414 m, the imposing fortress harbours a multitude of stories that have left their mark on its old and renewed architecture. "

It was in the 13th century that the Lichtenberg family really built this Castle on a hill at an altitude of 400 m. The castle was a strategic place when Vauban decided to reinforce it in order to make it one of the key points in the Northern Vosges defence system. The Castle has a troubled history being overwhelmed by Louis XIV's troops at the time Alsace was annexed to France and bombarded by the German army in 1870. However, the ruins of the fortress are among the most beautiful in the region. The 16th-century Gothic-style chapel is particularly worth a visit. The marble mausoleum is one of the most beautiful in Renaissance Alsace. A monumental stairway leads you up to the tops of the towers. From here, you can catch a glimpse of the spire of the Strasbourg Cathedral.