2. GR®531 : étape 2 de Lembach à Niederbronn-les-Bains

Built in the 13th century, destroyed by Lichtenberg's troops in 1359 and then completely restored in the 15th century by the lords of Fleckenstein, the semi-troglodytic castle is built on two 40 m high rocks. Today, one can see rooms dug into the rock, an old cistern, an old square cistern as well as the remains of a residential tower whose broken arch door dates from 1481.

Rock equipped and agreed for the practice of climbing with appropriate equipment unless otherwise indicated on site. This agreement was elaborated in accordance with the charter for the practice of climbing on the rocks of the Vosges du Nord Regional Nature Park (http://www.parc-vosges-nord.fr/medias/File/_doc_dyn/french/charte_escalade_20081223308490.pdf and http://www.parc-vosges-nord.fr/medias/File/_doc_dyn/french/livret_escalade_compo-escalade1223300156.pdf).

Before going to the site to climb, please read the temporary restrictions at the following address: http://www.escalade-alsace.com/forum/weblog_entry.php?e=509

In any case, please follow the information on the site.

A first forge was built in 1602 on behalf of the Hanau Lichtenberg. Ruined during the Thirty Years War, it was replaced by another in 1684, consisting of a blast furnace, two forges and a martinet. The blast furnace stopped in 1885 then the activity in 1890. One can see there the stone coal hall, the iron shop, the employee's lodging on the floor, the hydraulic installation on the Schwartzbach. The blast furnace was in the lower part of the hamlet. (Sources: Mérimée)