Château de l’Engelbourg Oeil de la Sorcière

The Engelbourg castle was built around 1224 by the Count Frederic II of Ferrette, on a hill which overhangs the town of Thann and the mouth of the Thur valley. It has then been partially demolished in 1673, when it wasn’t of any strategic interest anymore, on behalf of King Louis XIV. The main tower divided itself when it was brought to the ground by local miners. The biggest part fell in a way that it makes one somehow thinks it watches the town below. It resulted in being called the Œil de la Sorcière — the Witch’s Eye — a name more familiar to the locals than that of the Engelbourg castle.
The remaining ruins and the overall site are partially restored each summer by an international project, attracting young people from a wide range of countries. Numerous low walls have been re-​erected, and the surrounding vegetation has been carefully dealt with to offer the most beautiful panorama.
Ten minutes of walking is what it takes to reach the top of the hill and the castle, starting from the Engelbourg street. The path is not well-​kept and quite sloping, but the experience is totally worth the short effort. It is possible, but obviously dangerous and probably forbidden, to climb into the Witch’s Eye itself, improving always further the view onto the town of Thann and its magnificent church. There’s access to numerous standard walking paths from the back of the site.
The site is not watched, and is therefore seen as a romantic place of choice by the local high school students as well as the tourists. Anyway, do not miss the chance to see all of Thann from above.