Château du Falkenstein
Encyclopedia
The Château du Falkenstein is a ruined castle
in the commune
of Philippsbourg
in the Moselle
département of France, at the heart of the Parc naturel régional des Vosges du Nord. This semi-troglodyte castle dominates the Zinsel valley.
, is mentioned for the first time in 1127. It was intended to protect the possessions of the Count in the Forêt Sainte (Holy Forest) of Haguenau
.
In 1150, Renaud, son of Pierre, died without heir. The castle was therefore shared between Folmar of Sarrewerden
and the Hohenstaufen
family. Jacques de Falkenstein appears as a witness in a charter signed at Haguenau in 1205 and, in 1316, Gottfried, Conrad, Heinrich and Jacob de Falkenstein made peace with the city of Strasbourg
. A paix castrale (castle peace) was signed in 1335, dividing the castle in three shares along the transverse walls.
In 1419, Jean de Finstingen
made himself Lord of Falkenstein seeing that he was the occupier on behalf of the Sarrewerdens and in 1474 a convention was held to divide the property among the Falkensteins : no part could be ceded, even to another member of the family, without the consent of the other sharers. The castle was sold to the counts of Deux-Ponts-Bitche
in 1479 and in 1482-1482 a conflict blew up over non-respect of the convention between the members of the family.
The Falkensteins were sole masters of the castle in 1515 and the modernisation begun by Balthasar was continued by his son. In 1564, Philippe IV (1538-1590), Count of Hanau Lichtenberg
, bought the castle from Balthasar's children and grandchildren and, some months later, it was completely destroyed by fire and never rebuilt.
In 1570, a part of the ruined castle was still inhabited by a forester employed by the Count de Hanau-Lichtenberg. Between 1570 and 1605, a conflict erupted between the Hanau-Lichtenbergs and the Duchy of Lorraine, at the end of which the Falkensteins returned to Hanau-Lichtenberg in 1606.
In 1623, the castle was ruined by the troops of Ernst von Mansfeld
during the Thirty Years' War
, to such an extent that the foresters could no longer live there. The final destruction of the castle was carried out by French troops.
has been shaped by wind and bad weather.
Of note are the entrance, the remains of the keep
, the cave rooms and the well tower, which had three functions: to protect the well, to defend the surrounding area and, on the top floor, to provide habitation. Nearby are the ruins of the Château du Helfenstein
.
The ruins, property of the state, have been classified since 1930 as a monument historique
by the French Ministry of Culture. Access has been banned since 1999.
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
in the commune
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
of Philippsbourg
Philippsbourg
Philippsbourg is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.- Sites and monuments :* Château du Falkenstein, 12th century ruined castle, built for surveillance of the Zinsel valley....
in the Moselle
Moselle
Moselle is a department in the east of France named after the river Moselle.- History :Moselle is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
département of France, at the heart of the Parc naturel régional des Vosges du Nord. This semi-troglodyte castle dominates the Zinsel valley.
History
The castle, built by Count Pierre de LutzelbourgLutzelbourg
Lutzelbourg is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. It is located on the Marne-Rhine Canal....
, is mentioned for the first time in 1127. It was intended to protect the possessions of the Count in the Forêt Sainte (Holy Forest) of Haguenau
Haguenau
-Economy:The town has a well balanced economy. Centuries of troubled history in the buffer lands between France and Germany have bequeathed to Haguenau a rich historical and cultural heritage which supports a lively tourist trade. There is also a thriving light manufacturing sector centred on the...
.
In 1150, Renaud, son of Pierre, died without heir. The castle was therefore shared between Folmar of Sarrewerden
Sarrewerden
Sarrewerden is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.-References:*...
and the Hohenstaufen
Hohenstaufen
The House of Hohenstaufen was a dynasty of German kings in the High Middle Ages, lasting from 1138 to 1254. Three of these kings were also crowned Holy Roman Emperor. In 1194 the Hohenstaufens also became Kings of Sicily...
family. Jacques de Falkenstein appears as a witness in a charter signed at Haguenau in 1205 and, in 1316, Gottfried, Conrad, Heinrich and Jacob de Falkenstein made peace with the city of Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
. A paix castrale (castle peace) was signed in 1335, dividing the castle in three shares along the transverse walls.
In 1419, Jean de Finstingen
Fénétrange
Fénétrange is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.-External links:* IGN website* INSEE website* Quid website* *...
made himself Lord of Falkenstein seeing that he was the occupier on behalf of the Sarrewerdens and in 1474 a convention was held to divide the property among the Falkensteins : no part could be ceded, even to another member of the family, without the consent of the other sharers. The castle was sold to the counts of Deux-Ponts-Bitche
Bitche
Bitche is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.It is known for its large citadel. The surrounding territory is known as le Pays de Bitche in French and Bitscherland in German.-Geography:...
in 1479 and in 1482-1482 a conflict blew up over non-respect of the convention between the members of the family.
The Falkensteins were sole masters of the castle in 1515 and the modernisation begun by Balthasar was continued by his son. In 1564, Philippe IV (1538-1590), Count of Hanau Lichtenberg
Château de Lichtenberg
The Château de Lichtenberg is a castle built on a singular prominence in the northern Vosges in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in northeastern France....
, bought the castle from Balthasar's children and grandchildren and, some months later, it was completely destroyed by fire and never rebuilt.
In 1570, a part of the ruined castle was still inhabited by a forester employed by the Count de Hanau-Lichtenberg. Between 1570 and 1605, a conflict erupted between the Hanau-Lichtenbergs and the Duchy of Lorraine, at the end of which the Falkensteins returned to Hanau-Lichtenberg in 1606.
In 1623, the castle was ruined by the troops of Ernst von Mansfeld
Ernst von Mansfeld
Ernst, Graf von Mansfeld , was a German military commander during the early years of the Thirty Years' War.-Biography:...
during the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
, to such an extent that the foresters could no longer live there. The final destruction of the castle was carried out by French troops.
The structure
The castle's sandstoneSandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
has been shaped by wind and bad weather.
Of note are the entrance, the remains of the keep
Keep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
, the cave rooms and the well tower, which had three functions: to protect the well, to defend the surrounding area and, on the top floor, to provide habitation. Nearby are the ruins of the Château du Helfenstein
Château du Helfenstein
The Château du Helfenstein is a ruined castle in the commune of Philippsbourg in the Moselle département of France.- History :The castle is located 100 m from another castle, the Château du Falkenstein. The castle was mentioned in the 14th century as the property of the Dukes of Lorraine. It passed...
.
The ruins, property of the state, have been classified since 1930 as a monument historique
Monument historique
A monument historique is a National Heritage Site of France. It also refers to a state procedure in France by which national heritage protection is extended to a building or a specific part of a building, a collection of buildings, or gardens, bridges, and other structures, because of their...
by the French Ministry of Culture. Access has been banned since 1999.