Ensisheim: Cultural History and Nature Trails
Accommodation in Ensisheim
Ensisheim brings together the town’s history and several themed trails. The Musée de la Régence focuses on a meteorite and archaeological finds; the Balade historique leads through the town centre past notable buildings. Nature-related themes are explored in the Parc de l’Eiblen and on other educational trails. When planning your trip, you can choose between architectural history, museum exhibits, and topics relating to landscapes or waterways.
Museum and Architectural History
The Musée de la Régence houses the Ensisheim meteorite, which fell in 1492. The impact is considered the oldest observed meteorite impact for which the meteorite has been preserved in the Western world. The museum also presents the Neolithic cemetery of Ensisheim, with 45 excavated burials; one of them has been reconstructed in the museum. The timeline thus spans from burials dating to the Neolithic period to an event in 1492.
The HĂ´tel de la RĂ©gence was built between 1535 and 1547 for the Austrian territorial administration and is now a museum. The Palais de la RĂ©gence was built in 1535. Its design combines Alsatian Renaissance with Flamboyant Gothic elements; French influences can be seen in its decorative details. Alongside the building dates, the focus is therefore also on the different architectural influences.
Walks through Ensisheim and the Parc de l’Eiblen
The Balade historique is an approximately two-kilometre walking route through the town centre. Around 20 notable buildings have signs in three languages. QR codes on the signs provide smartphone users with additional videos and images. Maps for the Balade historique are available at the Musée de la Régence and the town hall. The approximate distance and number of buildings give you a concrete sense of this historical town walk; the signs and QR media complement it with different kinds of information.
The Parc de l’Eiblen has two educational trails. One is devoted to the park’s storks, while the other explores the four biotopes found there, along with their flora and fauna. The themes are clearly distinct: you can focus on a particular group of animals or explore the habitats and their plant and animal life. The educational trail Au Fil de l’eau begins and ends in the Parc de l’Eiblen and passes through the Réserve Naturelle Régionale de l’Eiblen et de l’Illfeld. The Tumuli trail, by contrast, is in the forest south of Ensisheim and can be accessed from the car park by the Sainte Thérèse church.
Rivers and Canal History
The sculpture Les jumelles by André Seiler depicts two women’s heads, each representing the Thur and the Ill; together, they symbolise where the rivers meet. The Canal Vauban, also known as the Canal de Neuf-Brisach, has a history spanning more than 300 years. It includes a feeder canal that carries water from the Quatelbach near Ensisheim towards Oberhergheim. The sculpture and canal offer different ways into the subject of water: one as an artistic symbol of two rivers, the other as part of a named canal’s history.
Discover more destinations: Ingersheim, Guebwiller, Bergholtz, Sondernach, Dietwiller, Kembs, Eschbach-Au-Val, Pulversheim.
For the regional travel overview: Haut-Rhin.
