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Origin and history

Bonnefontaine Castle, built between 1818 and 1822 in Altwiller (Bas-Rhin), is the work of the Strasbourg architect Jean-Jacques Schuller for Basel's Christophe Merian Hoffmann. This rich industrialist acquired in 1816 the estate of the prince of Nassau-Sarrebruck in the former county of Sarrewerden, with the intention of creating a spa around a curative source mentioned in 1603. The castle, of Palladian neo-classical style, incorporates stucco decorations made by Joseph Beunat's factory (Sarrebourg), which will be the last production before its bankruptcy in 1824.

Thermal exploitation failed in 1836, forcing Merian to sell the estate. After several transactions, it was acquired in 1878 by the Gebwillerian industrialist Jean Schlumberger, whose family retained it until its recent purchase by the Hoch family. The castle, uninhabited since 1926, gradually deteriorated despite its inscription in the Historical Monuments in 1991. Originally, the estate included parks, gardens, and outbuildings like a dance hall today destroyed.

The Bonnefontaine site has an ancient occupation, dating back to the Neolithic. The source, known for its curative virtues, initially motivated the 19th century thermal project. The interior decorations, now preserved at the Saar Union Museum, bear witness to the architectural ambition of the project. The peristyle of the castle, decorated with sphinges, and its large room with a gallery illustrate the influence of the Palladian style, characteristic of the Empire era in Alsace.

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