Ottrott

Ottrott is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace-Champagne-Ardenne-Lorraine in north-eastern France. It lies southwest of Strasbourg.

History

The village was first mentioned in 1059, in Latin in the ordnance survey of Heinrich IV. The area rose to prominence in the 13th century when a number of castles were built. Many such as Château du Birkenfels stand but are in ruins today. It was built by Burkhard Berger, a vassal of the bishop of Strasbourg. The castle's position allowed surveillance of the old Roman road running from Mont Sainte-Odile to Champ du Feu and the valley of the Bruche.

The castle belonged to the Berger family who ruled Ottrott until 1532, then power fell to the Mundolsheim family until the French Revolution. The castle fell into ruins after the Thirty Years' War and was taken over by the town of Obernai, becoming part of the continuous forest between Obernai and Bernardswiller.

Demographic evolution

Geography

Neighboring communes