Musée Régional du Vignoble et des Vins d'Alsace - Kientzheim

Le Musée du Vignoble et des Vins d'Alsace

KIENTZHEIM - 68

Calendar of events in Kientzheim
	15 janvier 2012 Déjeuner en fête de la municipalité - salle Hirtenhaus 04 février 2012 Fête de la Sainte Agathe - salle Hirtenhaus (organisée par l'Amicale des Sapeurs-Pompiers de Kientzheim) 11 -12 février 2012 Théâtre Alsacien - salle Hirtenhaus (organisé par l'Association de Jumelage KIENTZHEIM – LIMERAY) 03 mars 2012 Loto - salle Hirtenhaus (organisé par le Club de Basket de Kientzheim) mars 2012 Assemblée Générale du Club de l'Age d'Or avec repas pour fêter les anniversaires 14 avril 2012 Soirée Couscous - salle Hirtenhaus (organisé par la chorale "Entre vignes et chants") 28 avril au 1er mai 2012 Echange avec les Limériens à Kientzheim (organisé par l'Association de Jumelage KIENTZHEIM-LIMERAY) 09 et 10 Juin 2012 Week-end Tartes flambées - Cour de la Maison des Associations (organisé par l'Association de Jumelage KIENTZHEIM-LIMERAY) juin– juillet 2012 Repas pour fêter les anniversaires Club de l'Age d'Or 08 Juillet 2012 Concours de pétanque - Place de la 5 ème D.B. (organisé par le Club de Basket de Kientzheim) 20 Juillet 2012 La Flambée des Pompiers Bal Champêtre - Place de la 5 ème D.B. 19 août 2012 Marché d'Anne (organisé par la Cave Vinicole) 25 août 2012 Anniversaire de l'Incorporation de Force Place de l'Eglise 09 septembre 2012 Marche gourmande (organisée par le Club de Basket de Kientzheim) Mi-septembre 2012 Journée du Patrimoine 23 septembre 2012 Marché aux puces (organisé par Team Cormorans) septembre – octobre 2012 Rencontre vin nouveau et sortie carpes-frites Club de l'Age d'Or 13 octobre 2012 Soirée Vin Nouveau - salle Hirtenhaus (organisée par l'Association de Jumelage KIENTZHEIM-LIMERAY) 09 décembre 2012 Concert de Noël en l'église de Katzenthal (organisé par la chorale "Entre vignes et chants" et la chorale de Katzenthal) Libération de Kientzheim décembre 2012 Fête de Noël et anniversaires du 4ème trimestre Club de l'Age d'Or

History of the town of KIENTZHEIM Chonesheim was the name of the village in the VIIth century. The Abbey of Fulda ( Germany ) had properties there from 785 and the Abbey of St. Felix and St. Regula of Zurich ( Switzerland ) in 920. The village passed through many hands; the Counts of Eguisheim, the Counts of Dabo, the family of Ferrette, the seigniory of the Hohlandsbourg, which came to the Habsburgs and then the Ribeaupierres. In 1374, the Archduke Leopold of Austria promoted it to the rank of town. Ramparts were built and fairs and markets held there.
After the Counts of Lupfen, the domain passed to Lazare de Schwendi, who made it the seat of his seigniory, reinforcing the ramparts and building the chateau, which is now owned by the Confrérie de St. Etienne. After the French revolution, Kientzheim became free and self-governing, continuing its development as a wine centre. 70% of the buildings were damaged by bombs during the fighting at the time of the Liberation, notably the fire at the Chateau of Reichenstein (property of the Baron of Turckheim) when the very rich archives of Kientzheim were lost. However, the inhabitants knew how to restore their homes in keeping with their former character, which are now made all the more attractive by the stone cobbling and traditional gutters of the Grand-rue.

The coats of arms of the town

On a background divided vertically into silver and blue, there is a standing bear with a red tongue, on the dividing line. This coat of arms goes back to the 15 th century.

It is believed that it is an allusion to the strength and nobility of the beast and to the fact that it roamed the surrounding forests (the last one was killed at the beginning of the 17 th century). The Armorial General under Louis XIV had replaced it in the blazon with a water spaniel and it was only in 1979 that it was reinstated.

Monuments to visit !

Apart from openings made for traffic, Kientzheim remains surrounded by its 1.6km of ramparts, which are a classified monument. A walk along the banks of the moat goes round the village, between two rows of cherry trees (accessible to wheelchairs).

The parish church has the tombstones of the lords of Schwendi, while the chapel of St. Felix and St. Regula houses an exceptional collection of ex-votos (thanksgiving or commemorative plaques) dating from the time when Kientzheim was a famous Marian pilgrimage.

In the entrance to the Hôtel de Ville , there is a collection of old pumps from the local fire brigade – and the public toilets.

At the western exit, towards Kaysersberg, you can see the Fox Tank, commemorating the heavy fighting at the time of the Liberation in December 1944. The memorial and the stones record the sacrifices made by the men of the 5 th French Armoured Division.

The cobbles

The road surface of the main street was in a very poor state.
The town council at the time, therefore decided to replace it with cobbles, choosing porphyry of the Trentino ( Northern Italy ).

The job was divided into three instalments from 2002 to 2007.
It was done by hand by Christophe Laenger, who laid all the 550,000 cobbles on his own !

The cobbles were placed on their naturally smooth edge and have turned out to be much quieter than other stones. In addition, their hard exterior makes them less sensitive to frost and oil marks.
At the same time, the former gutters were reopened which bring life and coolness to the main thoroughfare. The water comes from the Mill Canal and returns there, at the end of the village.

To thank Mr. Laenger for the quality of his work, he has been made “Citizen of Honour” of Kientzheim.

The main events of the town in the 20th century

• 11th September 1911 : Destruction by lightening of the old “Bath House”.
• 12th July 1934 : Destruction by fire of the western end of the town (11 houses).
• 18th June 1940 : Kientzheim is occupied by the Germans.
• 9th December 1944 : The fire and destruction of the Chateau de Reichenstein where the town's archives were kept.
• 17th December 1944 : Liberation of Kienztheim.
• 1952 : Construction of the ring road, using the track of the old “Kaysersberg Talbahn”.
• 1953 – 1954 : Restoration of the bell tower of the parish church.
• 1955 : Founding of the Wine Cooperative.
• 1958 – 1961 : Installation of the sewage system.
• 1962 – 1963 : Restoration of the Chapel of St. Felix and St. Regula.
• 6th February 1966 : The Fox Tank becomes the war memorial to the 5 th French Armoured Division.
• 1973 : Acquisition of the chateau by the Confrérie St-Etienne .
• 1975 : Grand Cru Schlossberg : 1 st Grand Cru of Alsace.
• 1974 – 1976 : Restoration of 112 ex-voto by Mr. Ambroselli.
• 23rd - 25th June 1978 : Celebration of the centenary of the founding of the Local Fire Brigade.
• 1980 : Founding of the Museum of the Vineyards and Wines of Alsace.
• 1981 : Extension of the Town Hall.
• 1984 : Construction of the fountain in the Place du Lieutenant Dutilh.
• 1986 : Acquisition of the Sacre-Coeur by the Department of the Haut-Rhin.
• 1997 : Construction of the school buildings.
• 2002 - 2004 : the laying out of the Grand'rue .

General information Mairie (Town Hall) Offices open from Monday to Friday from 8am to midday Monday and Wednesday from 2 – 6pm Tel. : +33 (0)3 89 47 12 62 Fax : +33 (0)3 89 78 14 65 E-mail : mairie.kientzheim@wanadoo.fr Post Office Collection : Monday to Friday at 9.30am and Saturday at 11am Post Office at Kayersberg Open Monday to Friday from 8.30am to midday and 2 to 5pm. Saturday 8.30am to midday. Crédit Mutuel Albert Schweitzer Open from Tuesday to Thursday from 1.30 to 5.30pm and Friday from 1.30 to 6pm. Tel. : +33 (0)8 20 32 96 42 Pharmacies : • at Kaysersberg : +33 (0)3 89 78 23 13 • at Ammerschwihr : +33 (0)3 89 78 28 11
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