Wingen: Castles, Organ and Hiking Trails

Wingen offers cultural history and hiking trails as different starting points for planning your trip. Wingen is home to the ruins of Hohenbourg and Loewenstein castles, as well as the organ in Saint-Barthélemy Church; hiking trails explore the village’s history and a historical wartime incident.

Castle Ruins and Sandstone on the Schlossberg

Château de Hohenbourg is located in Wingen. Its ruins were classified as a historic monument by decree on December 6, 1898.

Château fort de Loewenstein is also located in Wingen, on the Schlossberg. The ruin sits on its southern spur, an impressive sandstone cliff face. Loewenstein can therefore be described not only in terms of its castle complex, but also by its striking landscape. Hohenbourg and Loewenstein give you two different starting points for exploring the town’s historical heritage.

Hikes with Different Points of Interest

Routes to both castle ruins are described from the Fleckenstein reception area. From there, you can reach Château du Loewenstein on marked trails in about 30 minutes on foot. It takes about 35 minutes on foot to reach the Château de Hohenbourg ruin: first follow the GR 53, marked with a red rectangle, then a trail marked red-white-red. The times are approximate. The trail conditions described may change seasonally, so check the route information before setting out. The two approaches differ in both their approximate walking times and the trail markings indicated.

The 10 km “Circuit de randonnée des sabotiers” follows forest trails around Wingen and traces the steps of the village’s former clog makers. Its theme is therefore closely tied to a traditional craft. By contrast, the “Source du Heimbach” loop trail leads to the Kappelstein observatory. It commemorates a wartime incident: in May 1940, it was attacked and blown up by a German commando. The two trails therefore have different focuses: one explores the history of the village’s crafts, while the other recalls a specific wartime event.

Organ History at Saint-Barthélemy

Saint-Barthélemy Church in Wingen houses an organ. It is important to be precise about its history: the instrumental section of the organ was restored from 1996 to 1998. This instrumental section is also classified as a protected object.

You can choose which local themes to explore based on your personal interests, without needing to follow a particular order. Castle ruins, a rocky landscape, hiking trails with stated distances, and cultural heritage offer different ways to discover Wingen. When planning, check which route interests you and take seasonal changes in trail conditions into account. You can then look for a hotel in Wingen to suit your travel plans.

Discover more destinations: Kintzheim, Gundershoffen, Puberg, Duntzenheim, Mutzig, Westhouse, Molsheim, Uttenheim

Back to the regional travel overview: Bas-Rhin.