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Origin and history

The Kochersberg feudal motte is a medieval site located 310 metres above sea level, overlooking the villages of Kochersberg in Lower Rhine. Occupying an area of approximately 206 x 215 meters, this 13th century fortified castle was structured around a 40 x 60 meters motte supporting a 7 x 11 meters rectangular tower. The site, surrounded by ditches and protected by ramparts and towers, also housed a castral chapel mentioned in 1350. A geophysical survey conducted by the University of Strasbourg identified its main architectural elements buried.

The first written trace of the castle dates back to 1334, when Bishop Berthold of Bucheck took refuge there during his conflict with King Louis of Bavaria. By 1261, the site was said to have been used as a cantonment for Walter de Géroldseck's troops. As a member of the city of Strasbourg in 1422 by the bishop, the castle had several military occupations: by the Armagnacs in 1444, then during the Peasants' War in 1525. His final destruction took place in 1592, when the Lorrains took over the strong episcopal places. In 1720, its ruins were reused to build the road from Strasbourg to Saverne.

Since October 18, 1989, the site has protected all remains, including the soil, buried. Today a mixed property (private and state), the feudal motte of Kochersberg illustrates the strategic and religious stakes of medieval Alsace, between episcopal, urban and seigneurial powers. Its present state, though ruined, offers a precious archaeological witness to the fortifications of the 13th to 16th century in the region.

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