Château d'Osthoffen

About

The castle of Osthoffen is located in the Grand East, in the department of Bas-Rhin, 15 km west of Strasbourg. It has been listed as a historical monument since 11 September 1963.

Its origin dates back to the Roman conquest in 50 BC. It was part of the defense system of the Roman camp at the top of the Scharrach hill, 5 km west of the castle, at the foot of the Vosges. The Roman camps in Europe had the same arrangement everywhere: a main camp set up according to standard patterns flanked by watchtowers at a distance of tubes and signal lights, with a watchtower and alert post to signal the incursions of armed bands. This camp was established around a tower of a very special shape (see their replica on the Trajane Column in Rome). The watch tower which later became the castle of Osthoffen was located east of the Roman camp of the Scharrach, hence its Germanized name Ost, "est", Hoffen, "cour" or "camp" in German. Its parallel west of the Scharrach camp is the village of Westhoffen, presenting the remains of a fortification at the same distance from the camp. Originally, the village was not close to...