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Origin and history

The Castle of Landsberg, located in Niedernai in the Lower Rhine, is a historical monument dating back to the second half of the 13th century. It was originally built by the Landsberg family, settled in the area before the year 1000. This southern castle, distinct from a second north castle today partly ruined, was the seat of this noble line until 2007. The primitive nucleus includes a dungeon from a castral mot, surrounded by ramparts and defensive towers. Over the centuries, the building evolved, incorporating a 16th century seigneurial home and major transformations in the 19th century, notably by architects Albert Haas and Jehu, who added neo-Renaissance and neo-Gothic elements.

During the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), the southern castle was burned in 1632 by the Swedish troops of General Horn, then occupied by Samson of Landsberg. Despite this destruction, the family partially rebuilt the building. In 1680 Louis XIV temporarily transferred the Noblesse Council of Haute et Basse-Alsace, making the castle a meeting place for the regional elites for nearly two years. This episode marked its political climax, before the Council returned to Strasbourg in 1682. The marriage in 1806 between François Guillaume de Reinach-Werth and Christine-Charlotte de Landsberg, the last heir of the name, sealed the fate of the estate, which remained in the progeny until its sale in 2007.

The architecture of the Landsberg illustrates an Alsatian composite domain, combining styles and eras. The medieval dungeon, restored in 1840, is next to a neo-Renaissance residence and a 16th century Cigogne tower, decorated with a Renaissance door. The outbuildings, such as the wood-paned stables (19th century), and the neo-Gothic fence with its armored portal, reflect the family mythology of the Landsbergs. Ranked as a Historic Monument in 2008, the site preserves used stoning elements, including a armored torso column, and remains of original fortifications. Its architectural and noble history makes it a rare specimen in Alsace.

The funerary chapel, the communes, and the tertrine located in the park complete this complex, completely protected for its historical plate. The architects Haas and Jehu marked the 19th century with eclectic restorations, mixing pastiche and tributes to the history of the place. Today, the Castle of Landsberg embodies both a military heritage (donjon, ramparts), a seigneurial heritage (logis, Council Chamber) and an aristocratic residence transformed over the centuries.

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