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Origin and history

Wangen Castle, built in the 13th century, was a castle located in the village of Wangen, in the department of Bas-Rhin (Great East region, formerly Alsace). His existence was attested from the first half of the 14th century, when he was occupied by the family of Wangen, vassal of the bishop of Strasbourg. This castle adopts a rare octagonal plan, with courtines flanked by towers and a central dungeon surrounded by a ditch. The archives of 1749 reveal an exceptional arrangement: a double system of octagonal fortifications, with a total diameter of 101 meters, including dwellings and stables backed by walls of enclosure.

Over the centuries, Wangen Castle is the scene of repeated conflicts. In 1375 he resisted an English occupation of the city. In 1421 he was taken by surprise and looted by the Strasbourgs, before being taken over and burned in 1444 during the clashes with the Armagnacs. In 1445, the Strasbourgs reinvested him in the war between Jean de Fénétrange and their city. In the 16th century, the castle, in ruins, was sold in 1566 to Saint-Étienne Abbey in Strasbourg by the Wangen family. Its stones were finally dispersed in 1750 to build the Freihof and houses in the village.

Today, the castle remains only its footprint, visible in the centre of the village, as well as elements of the outer enclosure. These archaeological remains, still legible on the cadastre, were partially listed as historical monuments by order of 3 December 1993. Archival documents and excavations reconstruct its architectural evolution, marked by the addition of semicircular towers in the 15th century and the widening of the ditches, reflecting the military adaptations of the period.

The site illustrates the political and military dynamics of medieval Alsace, between local conflicts (such as those with Strasbourg) and regional issues (occupations by the Armagnacs or the English). Its octagonal plan, rare for the time, suggests a desire for defensive modernity, while its dismantling in the eighteenth century bears witness to the urban transformations and the loss of utility of the fortresses after the Middle Ages.

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