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Origin and history

Frankenburg Castle, now in ruins, is built on the top of Schlossberg (703 m), between Neubois and La Vancelle (Bas-Rhin). Its strategic location dominates the valleys of Villé and Lièpvre, ancient Transvosges. The site houses a protohistoric enclosure (pagan wall), characteristic of the Celtic or Gallo-Roman constructions, with blocks assembled by daronde-tailed keys. Excavations revealed Gaulish coins, Roman objects (tart of bronze, axe, Constantine I currency), and traces of a Celtic and Roman settlement, suggesting continuous occupation from the Iron Age.

The protohistoric wall, 1.80 m thick and several hundred meters long, surrounds the castle on three sides. His dating remains debated: some archaeologists place him at La Tene finale (iron age), others at the Gallo-Roman period (III–IVth centuries), even merovingian. Constantine I currencies (272–337) and Roman-sized techniques (iron corners) accredit this latter hypothesis. The wall, partially dismantled in the Middle Ages to build the castle, was classified as a historical monument in 1990, long after the castle (1896).

The medieval castle, mentioned in 1123 as Frankenburg, was probably built on the remains of a Roman castel. A local legend attributes its foundation to Clovis (Vth century), who promised its conversion at the Battle of Tolbiac. However, the first official mention dates from Emperor Henry V (1123). The site passed into the hands of the Counts of Werd, the bishops of Strasbourg, and the city of Sélestat before being destroyed by fire in 1582. The current ruins include a 13th century dungeon and a chapel linked to the legend of Clotilde.

The Count-Ban of Frankenburg, a territory associated with the castle, included six villages (including Neubois and Breitenau). Administered by the Counts of Linange in the 14th century, it was sold in 1462 to the Grand Chapter of Strasbourg and the city of Sélestat. The site, which is now protected, is led by local associations (Club Vosgien, Les Mains d'Or du Frankenburg) which work for its preservation and tourist development.

An oral tradition reported Marian apparitions between 1870 and 1873 near the castle, attracting thousands of pilgrims. A chapel and a cross path were erected on the path of apparitions, reinforcing the historical and legendary character of the site.

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