Grand Est

Castles and fortresses in Grand Est

This collection highlights the strategic architectural heritage of the Grand Est region, from the restored medieval Haut-Koenigsbourg to the 35,000-square-meter Sedan Castle. It features religious power at the Palace of Tau, German imperial architecture at the Palais du Rhin, and the somber 20th-century defensive works of the Verdun forts. These sites range from preserved 14th-century city gates in Metz and Nancy to dramatic hilltop ruins overlooking Alsatian vineyards, illustrating centuries of European military and royal history.

Olivier / CC BY 2.0

Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg

The Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg, sometimes also Haut-Kœnigsbourg, is a medieval castle located in the commune of Orschwiller in the Bas…

Clelie Mascaret / CC BY-SA 3.0

Sedan Castle

Sedan Castle is a castle situated in Sedan, France, near the river Meuse. Covering an area of 35,000 square metres in its seven floors.

Ludovic Péron / CC-BY-SA-3.0

Palace of Tau

The Palace of Tau in Reims, France, was the palace of the Archbishop of Reims.

Jonathan Martz / CC BY-SA 3.0

Palace of the Rhine

The Palais du Rhin, the former Kaiserpalast, is a building situated in the German quarter of Strasbourg dominating the Place de la…

historicair / CC-BY-SA-3.0

Fort Douaumont

Fort Douaumont was the largest and highest fort on the ring of 19 large defensive works which had protected the city of Verdun, France,…

Dsch67 / CC BY-SA 2.5

Château de Kaysersberg

The Château de Kaysersberg is a ruined castle in the commune of Kaysersberg in the Haut-Rhin département of France.

Dsch67 / CC BY-SA 2.5

Château de Saint-Ulrich

The Château de Saint-Ulrich is one of three castles which overlooks the commune of Ribeauvillé in the Haut-Rhin département of France.

MJJR / CC BY 3.0

Germans' Gate

The Germans' Gate is a medieval bridge castle and city gate in Metz, France.

juanca1492 / Public domain

Craffe Gate

Built in the 14th century as a part of the city's fortification, the gate's towers served as a prison for decades.

Dguendel / CC BY-SA 3.0

Malbrouck Castle

This castle, built in the 15th century, now functions as a museum. In each of its four towers, there is an exhibition introducing the castle…

Rohan Castle

Rohan Castle, also known as Château Neuf, is an eighteenth-century neoclassical palace in the city of Saverne in Alsace, France.

AlfvanBeem / CC0

Fort Vaux

Fort Vaux, in Vaux-Devant-Damloup, Meuse, France, was a polygonal fort forming part of the ring of 19 large defensive works intended to…

Dguendel / CC BY 3.0

Ruines du château des ducs de Lorraine et des fortifications

Perched on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Moselle River, this 11th-century stronghold was a primary residence of the Dukes of Lorraine. Rebuilt in the 15th century, the site features massive defensive walls, vaulted cellars, and panoramic views of the border between France, Germany, and Luxembourg.