Ottrott, Bas-Rhin, France

Birkenfels of the castle is a castle in the forest of Obernai, in the commune of Ottrott (Bas-Rhin). The ruins of the castle Birkenfels are classified historic monument since November 16, 1984
The castle Birkenfels was perhaps built around 1260 by Burkhard Beger, a ministerial of the bishop of Strasbourg. The castle is located on the grounds of Obernai, an imperial land that neither the bishop nor Beger were right. This suggests that the castle was built during the reign largest inter (weakening of the imperial power) and before the battle of Hausbergen. The first mention of the castle dates to 1289, when Rudolph of Hapsburg regulates the occupation of land against an annual rent of one pound of wax payable to the chapel of the Virgin of Obernai.

Castle Birkenfels has no strategic value and its construction can not be explained by a desire Beger, a family ministériaux Episcopalians, to materialize their belonging to the nobility they had to envy. There are only few documents about the castle and despite the archaeological excavations by ASAM, its history is very imprecise. Excavations have shown a reworking of the lower court and the entrance of defense, in the late fifteenth century. A fine analysis suggests monumental fire which was found in trace or in the excavated parts nor in the historical archives.

The castle belonged to Birkenfels Beger until 1532, then to the family of Mundolsheim until the French Revolution. The castle fell into disrepair after the Thirty Years War and was ceded to the city of Obernai. It is now part of the undivided forest of Obernai-Bernardswiller. He previously allowed to monitor the old Roman road from Mont Sainte-Odile in Champ du Feu and Bruche Valley.