Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castles of Ortenburg and Ramstein, located in Scherwiller in the Lower Rhine, overlook the valley of Villé at an altitude of 437 m. Built between the 12th and 13th centuries, they have been classified as historical monuments since 1923. Ortenburg derives its name from the Ortenberg family, attested as early as the 10th century with Werner d-Ortenberg, founder of the lineage. The site, accessible only by marked trails such as the GR5, offers a remarkable example of Alsatian military granite architecture, with a 13th century pentagonal dungeon and a deep ditch.

The history of Ortenburg began in the year millet with Werner d'Ortenberg, whose descendants died in 1120. In the 13th century, Rodolphe de Habsburg, after his marriage to a Hohenberg heiress, undertook a major reconstruction of the castle (1253–1265), interrupted by local conflicts. In 1293, Otto IV of Ochsenstein assiège Ortenbourg and built Ramstein to conquer it, before the site returned to the Habsburgs and then to the Müllenheims in 1314. The castle, occupied by plunderers in the 15th century, changed hands several times and was partially destroyed during the Thirty Years' War.

In the 18th century, the family of Choiseul became its owner until the Revolution. In 1806, Baron Mathieu de Faviers restored him to Scherwiller. Since 1966, the city and associations have maintained the ruins while reflecting on their preservation. The current remains include a 32-metre dungeon, a gothic seigneurial house, and defences in the hefty, demonstrating its strategic role.

The 1970 excavations revealed materials prior to Rodolphe de Habsburg, confirming an ancient occupation. The site, linked to medieval conflicts (seat of 1293, war against Strasbourg) and figures like Charles the Temerary or Pierre de Hagenbach, illustrates the political and military stakes of Alsace. Today, the ruins, accessible by steep trails, offer a panorama of the plain and recall the importance of castles in the control of the valleys.

Modern restoration raises questions about the conservation of ruins, between respect for romantic heritage and tourist adaptation. The principles of the 1990 Heritage Interviews advocate a balanced approach: preservation of landscapes, transparency of projects, and public integration. The remains, protected for a century, remain a symbol of Alsatian history, between feudal power and architectural heritage.

Future

These ruins are made dangerous by high risk of collapse, and their visit has been prohibited since 1983.

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