Château de Greifenstein

Greifenstein Castle (or Griffon) dominates the Zorn valley, opposite the Upper Barr and the two Geroldsecks, south of Greifenstein.
A certain knight Meribodo of Greifenstein, in the service of the bishop of Strasbourg, is mentioned in 1156, which induces the existence of the castle. The de Greifenstein family is probably related to the Ochsensteins, who owned part of the castle in 1217.
In the 14th century, the bishop of Strasbourg was suzerain of the site, which was then shared between several ministerials, which inevitably led to the signing of the Castrales peace treaty in 1401, 1440 and 1474.
After the extinction of the Greifenstein family in 1450, the castle was under the control of the Hohenburgs, then in 1482 under the Kirchheim family. In the meantime, Count Palatine Louis of Deux-Ponts-Veldenz, brother of the Bishop of Strasbourg, became lord of the "Hintergreifenstein".
In 1470, the fortress was occupied by the enemies of Count Palatine Frederick and then returned to the bishop. In the 15th century, texts mention the existence of a chapel of Saint-Vit in the castle.
In 1516, the bishop owned both parts of the fortress, which was ruined during the Thirty Years' War. One must especially linger at the large 12th century Romanesque keep (west of the site), recognizable by the large red sandstone blocks and decorated with powerful bosses. To the east, the keep and the seigneurial dwelling, all in a state of advanced ruin, are worthy of note. In 1670, the castle was used as a quarry when the palace of Cardinal-Bishop François Egon de Furstenberg was built in Saverne Five years later, Turenne ordered the destruction of the site, which was classified as a historical monument in 1898.