The castle is believed to have been built between 1116 and 1122. The castle was destroyed in 1689 by the troops of the King Louis XIV so his enemies could not use it for refuge.
Castle Fleckenstein
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The castle is believed to have been built between 1116 and 1122. The castle was destroyed in 1689 by the troops of the King Louis XIV so his enemies could not use it for refuge. |
On the left is an artist's conception of Fleckenstein Castle
around 1200 AD. I have found information
on the castle mostly from German and French websites. I have translated them
with Alta Vista's Babel Fish
into English, but sometimes the meaning is a little off. One thing to keep
in mind is that Fleckenstein translates into "Mark stone" on the
German translations. (The literal interpretation - Fleckenstein, a "fleck"
or mark on a stone). I have tried to
replace all the mark stones with "Fleckenstein" but may have missed a
couple.
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Eglise Protestante de Soultz-sous-Forêts (Protestant church of Soultz-under-Forests).
THE PROTESTANT CHURCH OF SULZ UNTERM WALD
The civil history and church history of Sulz is strongly
tied with the dominion of the Fleckenstein family. Very early in the history was
Sulz an important part of their property.
THE DOMINION FLECKENSTEIN
In the middle ages there were two cities of important
influence in Northern Alsace: Haguenau and Weissenburg (today Wissembourg),
Weissenburg was the site of a renown Benedictine Abby (founded in the 7th
century) whose property stretched from Hatten, Hohweiler, Kühlendorf,
Betschdorf, Surburg, Ingolsheim, Kutzenhausen to Merkweiler. The influence of
the convent goes back to the 10th century.
Haguenau won its importance under the Hohenstaufen. The one-eyed Duke Friedrich
II gained the Dukedom of Alsace by transfer from his father-in-law Kaiser
Heinrich IV. He built various castles between Lichtenberg to Wegelnburg by
Obersteinbach. This line of castles was the "defensive wall" against the Dukedom
of Lothringen and the Dominion of Zweibrücken, and as a symbol of strength of
the Dukedom Alsace. Duke Friedrich II was the founder of Haguenau and his
control was continued by his son Friedrich Barbarossa. The castles and
ministries that occupied the area watched over the Dukedom, that resulted in a
slow expansion of families and relatives that became known in our region.
In 1129 is the first record of the name Fleckenstein, and he was Gottfried von
Fleckenstein. His castle atop a hill near Lembach probably was built between
1116 and 1122.
We do not know about the beginnings of the Fleckenstein rule - but it is assumed
that they must have belonged to the line of nobility in the region. The first
Baron Fleckenstein was elevated to this title in 1467. The first Fleckenstein
castle knights were not content with their castle. They acquired various areas
and more villages and over time increased their importance.
THE COMMUNITY OF SULZ UNTERM WALD
Sulz, which began as a community that belonged to the
Bishop of Cologne was transferred in 1274 to the Fleckensteins. Following a
dispute in 1346 Heinrich von Fleckenstein gained ownership from the Bishop of
Cologne the villages of Sulz, Hermersweiler, Retschweiler, Miesenthal, half of
Lobsann, Merkweiler, Hoelscholch, Hohweiler, Kutzenhausen and Keffenach. These
communities formed the church community of Sulz. Sulz was elected to become the
primary community of this grouping and in 1346 was elevated to a free state and
given the right to hold markets by the Emperor. Old archives record that a
castle was built in Sulz, whose location would be behind the Markthalle today.
Several Fleckensteins were in high positions in the church and state government:
Landvögte in Haguenau, in the Cathedrals of Speyer, Strasbourg and Baden. Over
time in the history of the Fleckensteins, they divided into several lines
including Fleckenstein-Dagstuhl and Fleckenstein-Bickenbach-Sulz. It was Ludwig
I (von Fleckenstein-Sulz) that decided for the Reformation in 1541. (He took
part in a religious discussion in Worms and "with full determination chose the
side of the Reformation of Melanchton and Butzer."
Dates and Historical Highlights (translated from French).
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1129 |
First mention of the family of the Lords of Fleckenstein (Gottfried and Gutta von Fleckenstein). |
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1174 |
New mention of the little children of Gottfried. |
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1248 |
Henri de Fleckenstein named " écoutète imperial ". |
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about 1250 |
3 lines without division of territory: * Fleckenstein-Dagstul * Fleckenstein-Soultz-under-forests * Fleckenstein-Bisckenbach |
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1276 |
Sat by the Emperor Rodolphe de Habsbourg. |
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1315 |
Stood with the troops of the town of Strasbourg. |
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1467 |
The Lords of Fleckenstein are made Barons of the Empire by the Emperor Frederic III. |
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1541-1570 |
Significant work with the castle. |
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1543 |
Introduction of the Reform. |
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1689 |
Destruction of the castle. |
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1720 |
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1792 |
Sold to the state. |
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1812 |
Repurchase of the ruin by party known as " of Pierrebourg " |
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1904 |
Classification Historic building. |
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1958 |
Caught the eye of the Tourist office of Lembach and Environs. |
The castle of Fleckenstein was, probably since the 12th century, the cradle of the family of the dynasty of Fleckenstein.
A German account of a present-day visit to Fleckenstein Castle:
A well received way leads us from the parking lot from first lengthwise and then by the ringmauern, with whose opening 1966 and by those already a part, in particular on the northwest side, was begun be restored could. The way leads then, at the kiosk of the Lembacher of tourist association past to the actual, tower-covered, powerful eingangstor, whose inscription over the portal became nearly illegible unfortunately by decomposition.
The visitor is himself to crossing this fortress gate right after at the impression of the rock striving steeply to the sky and the following defense wall broken through thick over two meters by two shooting openings. Here at the foot of the rock over several years the extending clearing up work used itself: Hundreds of cubic meters of earth and rock were removed schubkarrenweise from freiwilligen aids of the tourist association, to who original, rocky soil to day stepped. This working made possible among other things opening for a cistern, to which in rock the gehauenen grooves exhausted the rain water. We are inside yard of the castle. Everywhere are traces of former Gebaeulichkeiten: Dwellings for brushwoods the farmhands, Stallungen, underground storages and such a thing. Right on the small plateau was, which old designs after, which former lock chapel, to whatever the subjects of the environment had admission.
We may not equate this chapel with the actual castle chapel, which itself further above, into which from the Hofe sharply defined dwellings of the rule and to which only the family of the Mr. von Fleckenstein ruled and their guests admission had. This separation between Gesinde and rule, yard and castle, underlined by one into rock the gehauenen ditch, across which a zugbruecke led to rock the before-built square stair tower, which it permitted over a spiral stair, whose traces are still visible, to arrive into the upper floors. Today however the visitor uses another way partly the ascent, which before building the stair tower in 15. Century was usual.
Underneath the connecting post, which leads to rock, we noticed one into this eingehauenen area, which may have probably served as dog kennels. We know from a document of the yearly 1541 that on the castle, except which, still 10 Jagd-und 4 Hatzhunde were held for usual being awake dogs. But now still another view into the brunnenkammer. Closely beside it is a dark area, in which the wheel of the freight elevator was set up, which provided the castle inhabitants into the highest floors with all forcing.
The well, which is buried
today, is to have reached up to the low. Since this masterpiece of the well
drilling represented for the time at that time a nearly inhuman achievement, in
the people the legend had spread, the devil this wells had bored. When it had
been outwitted however with the disbursement of the promised wages by the
burgherrn, it had let ascend from revenge sulfur steams and fire flames from the
well pit. But the Burgkaplan struck the indication of the cross over the well,
on which the flames extinct and steams evaporated. Since that time the well gave
always plentifully an excellent drinking water.
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A - Upper Castle B - Lower Castle C - Watchtower
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 View from the stair tower over the lower castle watchtower |
 View over the upper castle toward palace |
 View from the today's castle museum of the Tora situations |
 View from the gate to the upper castle |
 Entrance to the two stairways, from the upper castle |
 Chamber on the upper castle |
 Palace wall of the upper castle |
 View of the lower castle to the stair tower |
 Right one of the two stone stairs |
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Photos from Sister Marcilita Fleckenstein's collection
Links to the websites this information was taken from (German or French pages):
