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Visit of the Haut-Koenigsbourg

A visit to the Haut-Koenigsbourg castle in Alsace.

The Haut-Koenigsbourg was for a long time a ruined castle. After the loss of Alsace-Lorraine in 1870 by France and its annexation by Germany, Emperor Wilhelm II wanted to make a gesture to show his goodwill towards the Alsatians: he decided to rebuild the castle of Haut-Koenigsbourg.

The reconstruction was rapid for a site of this importance, in seven years from 1901 to 1908 the major part of the castle was restored. The reconstruction was carried out with the most modern means of the time (railway, electricity...).

The revival of the Haut-Koenigsbourg is mainly due to Emperor Wilhelm II and his Berlin architect Bodo Ebhardt. The murals are due to an Alsatian artist Leo Schnug. This one was very inclined to drink, he will end his life in a mental asylum where he will join his father already interned.

The access to the castle is easy by car, it is noticeable from far. Many parking lots are available. The visit is not very long, in one morning you can have visited the whole site. Try to avoid the high season.

Interest: good (1 user)
Difficulty:
Duration: 3 h.
Practical information

The exterior of the castle

The castle can be visited all year round. The price is 8 euros. The entrance fee includes a guided tour at 11 am and 2 pm. It lasts about 2 hours. There are also of course the inevitable audio-guides.
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The Kaiser Hall

It is the most beautiful room of the castle, it is decorated with magnificent frescos of medieval inspiration. This room was created from scratch during the restoration of the castle.
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The hunting trophy room

Many weapons are exposed in this room.
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The empress's room

The name given to this room is only indicative, it was never the antechamber of the empress because it is a very dark room facing north. In the Middle Ages it was used for guests passing through.
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The ramparts

At the top of the roof you can see a collection of cannons.
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The castle

Beware the castle receives many visitors each year. Even if from afar it can appear massive and imposing, the rooms to visit are not very big. It is absolutely necessary to visit it early enough or in low season to avoid the crowd.
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The staircase of the "Grand Illusion

Moviegoers who have seen Renoir's "La grande illusion" will recognize the staircase used during a scene in the film. Part of the filming took place at the castle.
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