Œdenbourg Castle (Petit-Koenigsbourg, Klein-Königsburg)

En un regard

Le château en bref

A discreet neighbour of the famous Haut-Kœnigsbourg, Œdenbourg Castle, also known as Petit-Kœnigsbourg, overlooks the commune of Orschwiller. Its dating remains debated among researchers: in 1995 the historian Thomas Biller proposed, on the basis of masonry characteristics comparable to those of Hohenbourg or Ottrott, that its outer curtain wall dates back to the 10th–11th centuries, while the Gothic residence, protected by a shield wall to the east and a powerful keep-tower to the west, is thought to date from the early 13th century. Since 2023, the site has been the subject of programmed archaeological excavations as part of the cross-border “Châteaux rhénans” (Rhine Castles) project, co-funded by the European Interreg Upper Rhine programme; these have led to the discovery of latrines against the north wall of the Gothic residence and of a trebuchet ball reused in masonry, evidence of a medieval siege.