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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Meywihr Castle, located in Ammerschwihr in the Upper Rhine, is a historical monument dating back to the 10th century. Originally owned by Murbach Abbey, it was usurped by the Counts of Ferrette before being besieged around 1279 by the Sires of Ribeaupierre. In 1291, a judgment of Rodolphe de Habsburg officially attributed them. The site, of circular shape with a 66-metre-diameter ditch, housed a square dungeon of 8 metres side, built in stoneware, limestone and granite, with typical bossing chains of the late Romanesque era.

During the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), the castle was the scene of confrontations between French and imperial troops. In 1638, after a long siege, the French, commanded by the Marshal of the Force, took over the château at the Imperials of Charles IV of Lorraine. In the 18th century, it belonged to the Ribeaupierre family for more than 200 years, before being looted and destroyed during the French Revolution. His stones were reused to build local buildings, such as the presbytery in 1782.

Rediscovered in the 19th century by archaeologists, the site was searched in 1959, revealing the foundations of the 12th century dungeon. Ranked a historic monument in 1956, it is now a tourist destination with medieval remains and views of the Alsatian hills. The excavations also confirmed its gradual abandonment from the fourteenth century, linked to the fortification of the neighbouring village of Ammerschwihr and the loss of its strategic interest.

The architecture of the castle, although partly in ruins, shows thick walls of more than 2 meters, with a neat machine of stones with bosses. The remains, surrounded by a gap still visible in the present block, testify to its past importance. The site, threatened after World War II by construction projects, was preserved thanks to its ranking. It now hosts cultural events, perpetuating its role in local memory.

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