GR® 53 : stage 2

The Wittschloessel castle was a simple watchtower on a rocky ridge overlooking the Obersteinbach valley; only a few remains of the sandstone walls remain.

The history of this castle is not well known; it was destroyed at the end of the 17th century.

Existing since 1147, it was besieged by the city of Haguenau, the bishop of Strasbourg and Hannemann of Lichtenberg to dislodge knight-brigands by digging a gallery on the west side of the site. It was then partially dismantled. At the beginning of the 16th century, the Duke of Lorraine seized it twice. The castle was burned down before being abandoned in 1664. You can still see a section of the stone wall with bosses, a vestige of the keep. More information here.

Mentioned as early as 1205 near the Old Windstein, the dwelling was modified at the end of the Middle Ages to be adapted against artillery. After having served as a refuge during the Thirty Years' War, soldiers occupied it between 1652 and 1654 and used it to plunder the region. It was destroyed as a possession of the Eckbrecht family of Durkheim, who had fought against France in the Dutch War. Its defense is based on a shield wall, allowing it to dominate the valley on 3 sides.

Open shelter on the GR® 53 at 800 m north-east of the Liese pass (Club Vosgien chalet).

- benches all around the small room on the ground floor;

- space to sleep under the roof but difficult to access.

Castle Hohenfels is built on a peak, difficult access; the rocky bar was deeply cut on the north-east side; from the barnyard there remain only fragments of walls and a cistern; the western platform has preserved some vestiges, as well as a small room dug in the rock; the seigniorial dwelling, at the top of the east rock, has kept its north wall in freestone, on three levels

This monolithic block from the Celtic or Gallo-Roman period was damaged in 1935 and 1945. A dubious restoration was carried out in 1951: the block was covered with mortar bearing the effigy of an Egyptian goddess. According to the popular legend, sliding on this rock would allow women to be fertile or to make men fall under their charms that they desired. There are many other legends around this rock.

On the highest point of the Northern Vosges, the Club Vosgien, the oldest hiking association in France, decided in 1890 to build the highest tower in Alsace. A tower of 25 m and 110 steps is added to the existing 581 m and allows to admire a breathtaking panorama on the massif of the Northern Vosges and the Palatinate, the Lorraine plateau, the plain of Alsace and the Black Forest.