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Custine-Schanzen (Oberursel), Oberursel

Custine-Schanzen (Oberursel)

Oberursel

Access

No visits on recordNo opening hours or ticketing found

Where
Oberursel

To make a day of it

Open within 20 km

Sleep nearby

Custine-Schanzen (Oberursel) stands in Oberursel (Hochtaunuskreis), in Hesse, Germany. The building is a listed Baudenkmal. Recorded dating: 18th century. No visits are on record for this building.

The Custine-Schanzen are a group of earthwork fortifications in the municipal forest of Oberursel, on the Borkenberg hill. They were built in November 1792 by French revolutionary troops under General Adam-Philippe de Custine during the War of the First Coalition, positioned to fire down into the valley of the Urselbach stream. Two of the original three positions survive today, the third having been lost when the local cemetery was laid out. This is a quiet historical site rather than a dramatic monument, marking a short-lived military episode.

What to know

  • The site lies in the forest on a hillside and is best explored on foot rather than by car.
  • Only two of the three original earthworks remain, each originally about 300 metres apart.
  • There are no opening hours or admission fees, as this is an open-air site freely accessible in the municipal forest.
  • The area is protected as a Kulturdenkmal, meaning any search for artefacts requires official permission.
  • Sturdy footwear is recommended, as the forest ground can be uneven.

Where this château is

Oberursel · Hochtaunuskreis · Hessen

Map of the area around Custine-Schanzen (Oberursel)

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This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

Oberurseler Stadtwald am Borkenberg, 61440, Oberursel (Taunus)

Directions open from wherever you are, by car or public transport.

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4.5 / 5from 2 Google reviews

Heritage status
Kulturdenkmal in Deutschland
Period of construction
18th century

Base map © IGN, Géoplateforme

In pictures

Frequently asked

Who built the Custine-Schanzen?
They were built in November 1792 by French troops under the command of General Adam-Philippe de Custine.
Why were these earthworks constructed?
They were meant to help French forces defend against advancing Prussian and Hessian troops during the War of the First Coalition.
Can the site be visited freely?
Yes, it lies in the municipal forest of Oberursel and remains freely accessible with no fixed hours.
How many of the earthworks survive today?
Two of the original three positions remain, the third having been lost to the construction of the local cemetery.

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Sources

Identity, location and official references from Wikidata and the Land's heritage lists.

Within an hour’s drive

The most visited in this department — Hochtaunuskreis

From the same period — 18e siècle