The 3,7 acres (1,5 ha) extent of Haut-Koenigsbourg gives it an impression of power. The many layers of the pink 12th-century fortress recall its military vocation. Three great eras have marked its history. From its construction to the first half of the 15th century, the castle was home to several occupants. From 1479, the Thierstein family rebuilt it to adapt its structure to artillery. After two centuries of abandonment and ruin, it was finally reconstructed in 1900 by Emperor Wilhelm II. The Kaiser saw it as an opportunity to assert the greatness of the Hohenzollern dynasty.