Ottrott
Encyclopedia
Ottrott is a commune
in the Bas-Rhin
department in Alsace
in north-eastern France
. It lies southwest of Strasbourg
.
. The area rose to prominence in the 13th century when a number of castles were built. Many such as Château du Birkenfels
stand but are in ruins today. It was built by Burkhard Berger, a vassal
of the bishop of Strasbourg. The castle's position allowed surveillance of the old Roman road running from Mont Sainte-Odile
to Champ du Feu and the valley of the Bruche.
The castle belonged to the Berger family who ruled Ottrott until 1532, then power fell to the Mundolsheim family until the French Revolution
. The castle fell into ruins after the Thirty Years' War
and was taken over by the town of Obernai, becoming part of the continuous forest between Obernai and Bernardswiller.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Bas-Rhin
Bas-Rhin
Bas-Rhin is a department of France. The name means "Lower Rhine". It is the more populous and densely populated of the two departments of the Alsace region, with 1,079,013 inhabitants in 2006.- History :...
department in Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
in north-eastern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. It lies southwest of Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
.
History
The village was first mentioned in 1059, in Latin in the ordnance survey of Heinrich IVHenry IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry IV was King of the Romans from 1056 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1084 until his forced abdication in 1105. He was the third emperor of the Salian dynasty and one of the most powerful and important figures of the 11th century...
. The area rose to prominence in the 13th century when a number of castles were built. Many such as Château du Birkenfels
Château du Birkenfels
The Château du Birkenfels is a ruined castle in the commune of Ottrott in the French département of Bas-Rhin. It is surrounded by the Obernai Forest.-History:...
stand but are in ruins today. It was built by Burkhard Berger, a vassal
Vassal
A vassal or feudatory is a person who has entered into a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. The obligations often included military support and mutual protection, in exchange for certain privileges, usually including the grant of land held...
of the bishop of Strasbourg. The castle's position allowed surveillance of the old Roman road running from Mont Sainte-Odile
Mont Sainte-Odile
Mont Sainte-Odile is a 760 m peak of the Vosges Mountains in Alsace in France. The mountain is named for Saint Odile...
to Champ du Feu and the valley of the Bruche.
The castle belonged to the Berger family who ruled Ottrott until 1532, then power fell to the Mundolsheim family until the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
. The castle fell into ruins after the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
and was taken over by the town of Obernai, becoming part of the continuous forest between Obernai and Bernardswiller.
Neighboring communes
- BœrschBœrschBœrsch is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.-References:*...
- Saint-NaborSaint-NaborSaint-Nabor is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.-References:*...
- Neuviller-la-RocheNeuviller-la-RocheNeuviller-la-Roche is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.-References:*...
- Barr
- Le HohwaldLe HohwaldLe Hohwald is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.-Climate:Le Hohwald is a hill village, with altitude above sea level in the commune ranging from 450 meters to nearly 1100 meters, positioned some fifty kilometres to the west-wouth-west of Strasbourg and some ten...
- BernardswillerBernardswillerBernardswiller is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.-References:*...
- Obernai
Landmarks
- Château du BirkenfelsChâteau du BirkenfelsThe Château du Birkenfels is a ruined castle in the commune of Ottrott in the French département of Bas-Rhin. It is surrounded by the Obernai Forest.-History:...
, (13th century) - Château de DreisteinChâteau de DreisteinThe Château de Dreistein is a ruined castle in the commune of Ottrott in the Bas-Rhin département of France. It is, in fact, three separate castles built on rocky promontories, hence the name drei Stein, "three castles" in medieval German....
, (13th century) - Château de Hagelschloss, (13th century)
- Château de KagenfelsChâteau de KagenfelsThe Château de Kagenfels is a ruined castle situated in the Forest of Obernai,in the commune of Ottrott in the Bas-Rhin département of France...
, (13th century) - Château de Koepfel
- Château de LutzelbourgChâteau de LutzelbourgThe Château de Lutzelbourg is a ruined medieval castle, above the town of Ottrott, in the Bas-Rhin department of eastern France .-History:The castles of Ottrott were built on the plateau of Elsberg about 500 metres in height...
, (13th century) - Château de Rathsamhausen, (13th century - (15th century)
- Château de Windeck, (13th century - (14th century)
- Chapelle Saint Nicolas (17th century)
- Église Saints Simon et Jude, Built 1771.
- Mont Sainte-OdileMont Sainte-OdileMont Sainte-Odile is a 760 m peak of the Vosges Mountains in Alsace in France. The mountain is named for Saint Odile...