Ernolsheim-les-Saverne
Château du Warthenberg
Presentation
In 1979, the presence of a fortified castle, the name of which was unknown, was discovered on the Daubenschlagfelsen rock above Ernolsheim-lès-Saverne.
Between 1981 and 1992, twelve years of archaeological excavations by the CRAMS (Centre de recherches archéologiques médiévales de Saverne) uncovered the remains of this fortified castle, built in the mid-twelfth century and destroyed before 1200. This is the Château de Warthenberg, known from a single archival record dating from 1158.
The main components – a 3.80-metre-thick shield wall, an 11-metre square keep (the third largest in Alsace after Greifenstein and Lutzelbourg / Zorn), living quarters, chapel, entrance system and two filtration tanks – can now be seen.
The castle is not accessible by car. The shortest route to the Daubenschlagfelsen is a signposted steep path from the church in Ernolsheim-lès-Saverne (20-minute walk). For those unfamiliar with the area, we recommend taking the Club Vosgien’s ‘blue rectangle’ trail from the Croix de Langenthal car park (above Saint-Jean Saverne) to Dossenheim-sur-Zinsel, which passes through the site (45-minute walk).
The site is maintained and enhanced by the ‘Pro Daubenschlag’ association.
Source : Bernard Haegel, René Kill, Le château fort de Warthenberg (Daubenschlagfelsen), guide pour la visite des vestiges, Saverne 1991.
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