Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle Entry Ticket Alsace

Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle: eight centuries on a rocky spur

Haut-Koenigsbourg stands at about 757 metres on a rocky spur of the Vosges, above the village of Orschwiller and the town of Sélestat. First recorded in the 12th century, the castle guarded the trade routes crossing the Alsace plain, carrying grain and salt between the Rhine valley and Lorraine. It changed hands between noble families, was rebuilt in the 15th century and was burnt during the Thirty Years' War in 1633.

For more than two centuries it stood in ruins, until a complete restoration between 1900 and 1908, when Alsace was part of the German Empire. The result is a vivid picture of a fortified castle as it may have looked around 1500. Today it belongs to the Bas-Rhin department and is listed as a historic monument, and it is one of the most visited sites in eastern France.

Inside the castle: keep, halls and armoury

The self-guided route climbs from the lower courtyard through a series of gates to the inner castle. You walk through the kitchens with their great hearth, the residential halls with carved wooden ceilings, painted walls and period furniture, the chapel, and the armoury with its displays of swords, crossbows and armour. The grand hall on the upper floor, with its painted decoration and great fireplace, is the most impressive room.

Outside, the great bastion to the west holds a row of cannons, and the ramparts and medieval garden open onto the most famous view in Alsace: the plain below, the Rhine valley and the Black Forest beyond. Allow about two hours. The route has many stairs, narrow steps and uneven floors, so this is not an easy visit for travellers with reduced mobility.

How to get to Haut-Koenigsbourg and opening hours

How to get to Haut-Koenigsbourg: the castle is about 50 minutes by car from Strasbourg and about 30 minutes from Colmar, reached by a winding forest road, the D159, from Orschwiller or Kintzheim, with parking near the entrance. In season, a shuttle bus links Sélestat railway station with the castle. Many visitors come on a day trip through the Alsace villages and stop here for the morning or afternoon.

Haut-Koenigsbourg opening hours run from morning to late afternoon, longer in summer and shorter in winter, and the castle is closed on a few public holidays such as 1 January, 1 May and 25 December; check the hours and last entry for your date. There is no mobile signal at the castle, so download your ticket before you set off.

Around the castle: Sélestat and the Alsace villages

The castle sits at the heart of the most beautiful part of Alsace. Just below lie the villages of Orschwiller and Bergheim, the latter still enclosed by its medieval walls, while Ribeauvillé, Riquewihr and Kaysersberg are all within 15 to 30 minutes. The forest around Kintzheim, on the lower slopes, has an eagle and falcon show in a ruined castle and a park where Barbary macaques roam freely, both popular with children.

Sélestat, in the plain below, has a handsome old centre and a historic library. The best time to visit Haut-Koenigsbourg is a clear spring or autumn morning, when the views are sharpest and the crowds lighter. Halal food is limited in this rural area, so plan your meal in Strasbourg or Colmar or bring a picnic.