ボルヴィラーの天然記念物・トップ14

The Langenstein menhir (a 4-meter-high long stone) was erected in 1904 by a Soultzmatt industrialist, who recognized this block as an overturned menhir. Legend tells that on full moon nights, fairies, or White Ladies, come to dance around the Langenstein. During this ceremony, the stone is said to begin spinning!

The castle was built from 1224, with various extensions until the 16th century. Its initial purpose, in addition to being the residence of the Count of Ferrette, was to monitor the toll which regulated passage into the Thur valley. Its name means the “town of the angel” in homage to Saint Michael, chief of the angels and champion of Good, and it stands at the top of the Schlossberg, the “castle mount. » In 1673, Louis The king called on miners from Giromagny to demolish the castle with explosives. When the dungeon collapses, part of it remains stuck on the side, giving the ruins their current shape. The locals nickname the remains of the castle “The Witch’s Eye” because this dungeon evokes an eye watching over the city, but also in connection with the tumultuous past involving the city in witch hunting. Family walk through the old town offering upon arrival a beautiful view of the town and the surrounding hills.

A worthwhile destination, good view of the city

The preservation over the many years is unique

The “Roche Sermet” is a rock formation located on the Hartmannswillerkopf¹ battlefield. It is located at an altitude of approximately **910 meters**². Hartmannswillerkopf, also known as Vieil Armand, is a pyramidal rocky spur in the Vosges massif, overlooking the Alsace plain from its 957 meters¹. During the First World War, it was a strategic summit hotly contested by the French and German armies¹. Today, the Hartmannswillerkopf is a place of memory, bearing witness to the suffering of the soldiers who fought in the name of their country¹. The German remains encountered on the ground, sometimes quite spaced apart from each other, are witnesses to this historical period¹. Source: conversation with Bing, 05/07/2024 (1) HWK: Vestiges of the Past - e-monsite. https://hartmannswillerkopf.e-monsite.com/pages/hwk-vestiges-du-passe.html. (2) Presentation. https://hartmannswillerkopf.e-monsite.com/pages/presentation.html. (3) The Hartmannswillerkopf | Paths of memory. https://www.cheminsdememoire.gouv.fr/en/hartmannswillerkopf. (4) The Hartmannswillerkopf - Official website. https://www.memorial-hwk.eu/.

Langstein means long stone. According to scientists, the block was extracted approximately 1km from its location. Its erection dates from the Celtic period, around 560 BC. It was rediscovered in 1904 lying on the ground by Fritz Keller, an industrialist from the region. It was straightened in 1906. A host of legends are linked to this Menhir. Listing them here would be too long.

A fallen tower as the central photo motif.

Nice viewpoint