Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Hugstein Castle was built in 1227 by Hugo de Rothenburg, prince abbot of Murbach, to protect the abbey and control the entrance to the Florival valley. Located on horseback on Buhl and Guebwiller, it combined defensive and residential functions, with a chapel dedicated to the Holy Cross and Saint Benedict in 1313.

In the 15th century, Abbé Barthélémy d'Andlau modernized the castle by adding a tower with drawbridge and two defensive towers. After succession conflicts in the 16th century, the castle suffered damage (fouled in 1598) and became a prison in the 17th century, especially for Lutherans and those accused of witchcraft. Abandoned, he served as a stone quarry, losing part of his rare cylindrical dungeon in Alsace.

Ranked a historic monument in 1898, the site preserves remains such as the main house (2-3 original floors) and a key to the chapel vault exposed to the Florival Museum. An earthquake in 1852 partially destroyed the ruins. Today, the visit is free, and the castle remains a symbol of the Alsatian medieval heritage, linked to local legends like the Devil's in Hugstein.

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