Hugstein Castle

The Hugstein castle is the only medieval military relic of this scale in the Guebwiller district. Located on a rocky knoll at the mouth of the Murbach valley, it overlooks the towns of Buhl and Guebwiller. Built in 1227 at the initiative of Hugo, abbot of Murbach and future prince of the Holy Roman Empire, this ruined fortress's main mission was to watch over Guebwiller, then a sometimes turbulent but rapidly growing town.

Hugstein played a key defensive role for the abbey principality. In the 13th century, it even served as a prison for knights Thierry and Renaud de Montbéliard, guilty of having harmed the abbey instead of defending it. One of its most illustrious occupants was Abbot Barthélemy d'Andlau (1447-1476), who built the entrance gate tower and strengthened the walls. This great scholar of the Alsatian Renaissance also imposed strict discipline in his bailiwicks of Guebwiller, Saint-Amarin, and Wattwiller.