Dreistein Castle

Dreistein Castle, locally known as Château de Dreistein or Burg Dreistein, lies west of Mont Ste. Odile in the Bas-Rhin department in France. This area is also known as the Northern Alsace or the Middle Vosges.

Dreistein Castle occupies a little rocky outcrop, at 628 meters altitude, on the west side of the Mont Ste. Odile mountain. It lies beneath the nearby "pagan" walls. Blocks of this wall were used for its construction. The rocky outcrop is separated from the mountain slope by a ditch cut out of the rock. The outcrop itself is divided into two separate rocks by a fault.

The castle actually consist of 2 separate castles. The one on the east rock, closest to the mountain, is called Petit-Grandstein (Little Dreistein). The other one on the west rock is called Grand-Dreistein (Large Dreistein). Grand-Dreistein gives the appearance of 2 separate castles, as there is a blind wall and a tower separating them in the midst of the structure. Hence its name Dreistein (Three stone).

Nothing is known about the construction or history of Dreistein Castle. The oldest document which mentions the existence of Dreistein Castle goes back to 1442. Due to its architecture its construction is placed in the 13th century. It is assumed that it was built by the Lords of Rathsamhausen, instigated by the Bishop of Strasbourg, to offer protection to the Hohenbourg Abbey. It was modified in the 14th century. The site was probably abandoned during the 16th century and was definitely a ruin during the Thirty Years' War in the first half of the 17th century.

This is a nice ruin. It is freely accessible but you will have to make a 45-minute hike from the nearest road to reach it.

Gallery

Petit-Dreistein

Grand-Dreistein