Wintzfelden: Monastic History and Nature at Zinnkoepflé

Wintzfelden brings together the history of Schwarzenthann Abbey, the architectural heritage of Sainte-Odile Church and the natural surroundings of Zinnkoepflé. The Lapidarium de Wintzfelden is next to Wintzfelden Church. This gives travellers a range of themes to explore: medieval monastic history, phases of church construction, funerary art and nature observation.

Monastic history and a walk at Schwarzenthann

Schwarzenthann Abbey was founded in 1124 to accommodate a congregation of nuns from Marbach Abbey. The foundations visible today include the church, the hospice and a farm. The history of the abbey can therefore be explored through several types of building remains, rather than just a single church building.

The Schwarzenthann discovery trail tells the history of the abbey through eight information panels along a walk of about half an hour. In 2024, four large-format panels were added to the trail. They show 3D views of the virtual reconstruction of the abbey. Visitors can thus encounter two different ways of presenting it: the foundations visible today and views that virtually reconstruct the abbey.

When planning your time, distinguish between reaching the trail and walking the circuit. The Schwarzenthann discovery trail is a 30-minute walk from Rue des Vosges in Wintzfelden. The approximately half-hour duration of the circuit, on the other hand, refers to exploring the history of the abbey. These are two separate time estimates for different sections.

Sainte-Odile Church and the Lapidarium

Sainte-Odile Church has been listed as a historic monument since 1995. It preserves a tower dating from the second half of the 12th century, which may have been a porch. The former choir has also been preserved and now serves as a side chapel. The year 1859 is also important to the building’s history: at the time, the church was in very poor condition, prompting the municipality to decide to build a new nave and choir. The church thus brings together preserved older features and a later municipal building decision.

The Lapidarium de Wintzfelden contains a sarcophagus in which the remains of three nuns were laid to rest. It also holds five tomb slabs decorated with medieval symbols representing the four elements. The contrast between the sarcophagus and the tomb slabs highlights different aspects of the collection: a specific burial history and symbolically decorated funerary art.

Nature at Zinnkoepflé

The dry grasslands at the summit of Zinnkoepflé are designated as a Natura 2000 site. Attentive walkers and botanists can observe rare and sensitive animal and plant species there. If you are interested in nature observation, the site’s distinctive features include not only the landscape but also the chance to look for its sensitive species.

The Zinnkoepflé massif, in the hills above Soultzmatt-Wintzfelden, has a warm, dry microclimate that is unique in Alsace. It is worth distinguishing between the geographical references: the Natura 2000 designation applies to the dry grasslands at the summit, while the description of the microclimate refers to the massif in the hills above Soultzmatt-Wintzfelden. A designated natural area and a distinctive climatic feature are therefore described separately, rather than as the same thing.

Discover more destinations: Franken, Kaysersberg, Husseren-Les-Châteaux, Freland, Kingersheim, Thann, Rixheim, Burnhaupt-Le-Haut.

For the broader travel overview: Haut-Rhin.