Kaysersberg
Kaysersberg
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Part of Kaysersberg Vignoble | |
The town as seen from the castle | |
Coat of arms | |
show Location of Kaysersberg | |
Kaysersberg | |
Coordinates: 48°08′N 7°16′E / 48.14°N 7.26°ECoordinates: 48°08′N 7°16′E / 48.14°N 7.26°E | |
Country | France |
Region | Grand Est |
Department | Haut-Rhin |
Arrondissement | Colmar-Ribeauvillé |
Canton | Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines |
Commune | Kaysersberg Vignoble |
Area 1 | 24.82 km2 (9.58 sq mi) |
Population (2017)[1] | 2,489 |
• Density | 100/km2 (260/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
Postal code | 68240 |
Elevation | 236–924 m (774–3,031 ft) (avg. 240 m or 790 ft) |
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. |
Kaysersberg (German: Kaisersberg (help·info); Alsatian: Kaiserschbarig) is a historical town in Alsace in northeastern France. The name is German for Emperor's Mountain. The high fortress that dominates the town serves as a reminder of both its strategic importance and its warlike past.
Kaysersberg lies in the canton of Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines, which itself is a subdivision of the Colmar-Ribeauvillé arrondissement. It was a separate commune until 1 January 2016, when it was merged into the new commune of Kaysersberg Vignoble together with nearby Kientzheim and Sigolsheim, and remains its seat/[2]
The town was first mentioned in 1227, when the German emperor Frederic II gave orders to build (or rebuild?) the castle. During the Middle Ages, Kaysersberg, a member of the Decapolis, prospered. In 1648, the city became a part of France, although most inhabitants continued to speak German. From 1871 to 1918 and (again from 1940 to 1944) Kaysersberg belonged to Germany.
In 2017 Kaysersberg was voted the Village préféré des Français (Village favoured by the French). The inhabitants are called Kaysersbergeois.
Geography[]
Kaysersberg lies about 12 kilometres (7 mi) northwest of Colmar, on the eastern slopes of the Vosges mountains.
Kaysersberg lies on the Route des Vins d'Alsace (Alsace "Wine Route"). Kaysersberg is near Ammerschwihr and Riquewihr.
Population[]
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
2006 | 2,715 | — |
2007 | 2,720 | +0.2% |
2008 | 2,726 | +0.2% |
2009 | 2,721 | −0.2% |
2010 | 2,713 | −0.3% |
2011 | 2,709 | −0.1% |
2012 | 2,705 | −0.1% |
2013 | 2,701 | −0.1% |
Economy[]
The area around Kaysersberg is one of the finest wine-growing areas in Alsace. The first vines were brought here in the 16th century from Hungary, and wine production is still an important aspect of the town's economy today. Wine produced from the pinot gris variety is a local specialty.
Tourism[]
Besides the fact that Alsace wine is produced locally, there is the ruin of Kaysersberg Castle. The ruins of Château de Wineck in Katzenthal, Château de Lupfen-Schwendi and Château de Reichenstein in Kientzheim are within walking distance.
Notable people[]
- Matthäus Zell (1477–1548), Protestant reformer
- Albert Schweitzer (1875–1965), theologian, musician, philosopher, and physician
Gallery[]
Tour Des Voleurs ou des Sorcières
View of Kaysersberg
The medieval church
Fountain and facade of Holy Cross Church
1518 altar inside the medieval church
Kaysersberg's Renaissance town hall
Albert Schweitzer museum
Kaysersberg is dominated by the ruins of its castle
Cemetery and vineyards
Bell tower and roofs seen from Schlossberg
Maison Herzer
A typical building
See also[]
References[]
- ^ Téléchargement du fichier d'ensemble des populations légales en 2017, INSEE
- ^ Arrêté 14 July 2015 (in French)
External links[]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kaysersberg. |
- Décapole
- Former communes of Haut-Rhin
- Free imperial cities
- Haut-Rhin geography stubs