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Origin and history

Birkenwald Castle, located in the Lower Rhine, was built in 1562 by Nicolas Jacques d'Ingenheim, baili of Marmoutier, inspired by the perigord architecture discovered during his journeys. At his death without heir, the castle passed under the management of the Abbey of Andlau until 1649, when he was given in fief to Gabriel du Terrier, military commander of Saverne and Haut-Barr. The coat of arms of Nicolas Jacques and his wife Hélène de Landsberg, visible on the front door and the large hall, attest to their founding role.

In 1802, the last descendant of the family, Fanny de Birkenwald, married the Marquis de Grimaldi, marking a new phase of transmission. The castle then changed hands several times, becoming property of Louis Arth (Mayor of Saverne), then of Baron Adolphe de Latouche, whose descendants still own it today. Its inscription to historic monuments in 1930 protected a remarkable architectural ensemble, including a Renaissance staircase, round towers, and 18th-century studded interior decorations.

The present castle, little transformed since 1562, preserves original elements such as a vaulted warhead guard room, a kitchen with carved fireplace, and a staircase in helical silt screws. The facades, decorated with Renaissance chambranles (sirens, rinceaux, masks), reflect the artistic influence of the period. A first castle, dependent on the abbey of Andlau, existed from the twelfth century, but the present building embodies above all the heritage of the Alsatian noble families of the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries.

The interior, partially redesigned in the 18th century, includes panelling and rock decorations (hunting trophies, weapons, banners), reflecting the aristocratic tastes of the era. The staircase turret, with a bulb roof, carries the coat of arms of the Grimaldi, added after 1802. The castle, open to visit under conditions, remains a rare example of Renaissance architecture in Alsace, mixing medieval heritage and French influences.

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