The Château de Dreistein is a ruined castle in the commune of Ottrott. It is, in fact, three separate castles built on rocky promontories, hence the name drei Stein, 'three stones' in medieval German. It was built in the 13th or 14th centuries and was separated into two sections later. In the 17th century it was destroyed.
The castle is sited on the massif of Mont Sainte-Odile, to the west of the abbey. It overlooks the valley of the Ehn which it controls along with the castles of Koepfel, Rathsamhausen and Lutzelbourg and the Château du Hagelschloss. As with the latter, it is close to the Pagan Wall of Mont Sainte-Odile.
In common with all the neighbouring castles of its time, the castles at Dreistein are constructed from pink sandstone from the Vosges. The remnants of the two castles are separated by a ditch. The western castle is flanked by a half open staircase tower.
Access to Dreistein is only possible on foot, following paths laid out by the Vosges Club.
References:The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous additions and modifications during their history, they were the last great fortification system of antiquity, and one of the most complex and elaborate systems ever built. They were also the largest and strongest fortification in both the ancient and medieval world.
Initially built by Constantine the Great, the walls surrounded the new city on all sides, protecting it against attack from both sea and land. As the city grew, the famous double line of the Theodosian Walls was built in the 5th century. Although the other sections of the walls were less elaborate, they were, when well-manned, almost impregnable for any medieval besieger.