Château du Wasigenstein

The Château du Wasigenstein is a ruined castle in the commune of Niedersteinbach in the Bas-Rhin département of France.

History
The site was first known as the centre of the German legend of Waltharius in the 10th century.

The castle is state property and has been listed since 1898 as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture.

Two castles were built here in the 13th century each dependent on the other.

Key points

 * at Grand-Wasigenstein, the former cistern, the keep, well-built rooms, etc.
 * at Petit-Wasigenstein, a habitable keep with a thick walls, an enormous windlass capable of lifting considerable loads
 * access stairways cut into the rock: a monumental architectural work provided a steep ascent to the summits
 * a rift fault, separating the two castles ("the fault of Walther")
 * alveolar and cathedral-like erosion on the south face of the rocky outcrop
 * a viewpoint over the Langenbach valley and towards Obersteinbach

Access
From the Wengelsbach pass on the D 190, parking at Wasigenstein, a footpath of the Club vosgien, signposted with red ractangles, leads to the castle.