The Haut Koenigsbourg history :
The Haut- Koenigsbourg is the witness of a rich and eventful history full of feudal rivalries between vassals and successive dynasties, for more than12 centuries.
The site history begins at the Carolingian era toward 774 (by Charlemagne). The place names itself "Mons Estuffin" or Staufenberg (the mountain in the shape of chalice as the old German hill) and belongs to an abbey.
A first castle is constructed by the Hohenstaufens (Frederic le Borgne) in 1114; it permitted to supervise the region trader roads. However the first castle mention is in 1147 as a property of the future emperor Frederic Barbarous.
Named in 1147 as "Castrum Estufin", it takes the name of "Kungersberg" or Royal Mountain in 1192.
Then it was changed, taken and besieged several times, even it was occupied by some brigands knights. It was rebuilt in 1479 by the Hapsburg, and it was adapted to the artillery use.
It changes again the owners for several times. It was robbed, destroyed and abandoned by the Swedes during the thirty years' war in 1633.
The name of "Hohkönigsburg" appears only from the XVIIth century. The ruin is offered by the Selestat city to the emperor Guillaume II. The castle is restored from 1900 to 1908 to the spirit of the XVth century by the Berliner architect Bodo Ebhardt. The castle becomes again French in 1919 by the treaty of Versailles and it was raised to the national palace rank