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Origin and history

The castle of Gutenbourg, also called the castle of Judenbourg or Gudenburg, is a castle ruin located in the commune of Bonhomme, in the massif of Vosges (High Rhine). Its remains overlook the village, 15 km southwest of Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines and 25 km west-northwest of Colmar. This strategic site, perched on a rocky spur, controlled the movements of the Lorrain troops via the Col du Bonhomme, highlighting its defensive role in the region.

Historical records of the castle remain rare and often linked to those of the Hohnack Castle, of which it was an annex. A document from 1199 cites Ulricus de Gotenburg, the first character associated with the place. In 1417 King Sigismon granted the Hohnack and its outbuildings, including the "house of Judenbourg", to Count Hans Grafen von Lupfen, his adviser. On the latter's death in 1437, the Ribeaupierre recovered the land, marking a period of integration into their seigneury.

The decline of the castle began in the 17th century: destroyed in 1639 by the Swedes during the Thirty Years' War, it is already described as "desolated" in 1780. In the 16th century, however, his lord had driven local economic activity by founding silver foundries in Bonhomme, fed by the ores of Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines. Today, a 2.3 km hiking trail provides access to the ruins and views of the village.

The history of Gutenbourg reflects the feudal and military dynamics of medieval Alsace, between seigneurial rivalries and strategic stakes related to Vosges cols. Its gradual abandonment also illustrates the economic and political transformations of the region after the Renaissance, where strong castles lose their usefulness in the face of changes in conflicts and central powers.

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