High up on a gentle hill, where the wind whispers stories from times long past, stands the venerable ruins of Landskron. They invite visitors on a journey through the centuries, to knights and noblemen, to feasts and battles, to fame and transience. Their mighty, partly weathered walls tell of glory and decline, of wars and reconstruction - a stone echo of history.
It is believed that the castle was built in the early 11th century by skilled hands and watchful minds. Over the centuries it changed owners several times until the Napoleonic Wars brought it a sudden fate: in 1813 it fell into the hands of Austrian troops and was turned into a majestic ruin by a devastating fire. But time had mercy - in 1984 the Pro-Landskron association took over the old fortress, restored it with devotion and saved its stone witnesses from complete decay.
Today, Landskron rests, caressed by gentle winds, right on the border between France and Switzerland. From its proud towers, the view sweeps far over the green hills of Alsace, the blue silhouettes of the Vosges, the dense Black Forest and the fertile Rhine plain - a view that makes the heart beat faster.
The ruins are easy to reach: a scenic walk takes you up to them in about half an hour from the tram stations in Leymen or Flüh. If you prefer to come on four wheels, there is a parking space below - but the last few meters have to be climbed on foot, as if Landskron wanted to prepare its guests for an encounter with the past.
The French-Swiss association Pro-Landskron is passionate about preserving this historic treasure. You can still walk through old archways, follow the footsteps of former residents on weathered stairs and feel the breath of history in the courtyards. Information boards tell of times gone by, while the echo of your own footsteps reverberates on the old stones.
The ruins are open to everyone, with no admission charge and no limits - an invitation to explorers, dreamers, families, history buffs and nature lovers. Whether as the destination for a hike through the rolling hills or as a short detour into a world long gone: Landskron is waiting to reveal its secrets.
legendary
Because of its use as a royal and later as a state prison, the castle was given the reverential nickname “Alsatian Bastille”.
Access
The castle is freely accessible.
