History of Turckheim France

TURCKHEIM, located at the entry of the valley of Fecht, is populated as of the Gallo-Roman time. In 742, the abbey of Munster made there build a court colongère. The name of the city appears for the first time in the Charter of Wissembourg in 743 pennies the etymology: THORENCOHAIME. During the Average Age, the stronghold is held by the lords of TURCKHEIM whose line dies out at the XV 2nd century.

In 1312, THURINGHEIM reaches the row of City (charter gone back to Pisa) and obtains the right to hold a market. In 1334, the city uses Décapole, grouping of ten Alsatian cities (Obernai, Sélestat, Colmar, Kaysersberg, Munster, Mulhouse, Haguenau, Wissembourg and Rosheim). However, it is still necessary for TURCKHEIM several decades to release itself entirely from the supervision of its former lords: the Abbot of Munster and the Lord of Hohlandsbourg. The city is controlled by a magistrate of four people assisted by a council of six middle-class men.

TURCKHEIM is primarily famous for its vineyard. The hill of the "Brand" is covered with slopes of a great fame. From the XVI 2nd century, the city thrives thanks to the trade of the wine by developing commercial bonds with the Germanic countries (Strasbourg and Swiss cantons).

The Thirty Year old war decimates the population but the city is repopulated quickly thanks to the immigrants from Switzerland.

In 1648, the treaty of Westphalia attaches TURCKHEIM to the kingdom of France. During the battle known as of Turckheim, January 5, 1675, Turenne is victorious troops of the General of empire of Bournonville. Occupied by the Germans during the Second World war, TURCKHEIM is released on February 4, 1945.

Future visitors, you can now with leisure traverse the downtown area of TURCKHEIM. Click at will on the zones numbered to discover the panorama which is offered to you. GOOD VISIT!!!

Here a small list, nonexhaustive, drawn up of the works which treat TURCKHEIM.

This door was inhabited until 1952. It closes the ramparts towards the valley of Munster. It is there that passed condemned to dead to be carried out with the place says "Wann" to a few hundred meters. Vingt-six judged women "witches" by a court of High Justice were burned there between 1572 and 1626. It is by this door that in 1675, Marshal TURENNE entered the city with his soldiers.

This tower set up at the beginning of 14th century in the Gothic style is classified Historic building. It characterizes the spirit of the imperial city well: savage independence, solidity, self-confidence.

The site of the harrow and the drawbridge is always visible. The culvert which crosses the formerly full of fish ditch carries the date of 1551. The gorgone grimaçante with the top of the door nargue the "malicious ones" and the loopholes in the walls intensify the austere and defensive character of the building.

The door which was saved demolition in 1850 thanks to a petition of the inhabitants was inhabited until 1950. It was to be sacrificed to circulation.

This door, most significant with the city, was provided with a drawbridge to make it possible to cross the ditch in front of the enclosure and always has a loophole and two drain-holes.

It is by this door that the essence of the trade with outside was carried out. The guard closed the two leaves after the angélus evening and opened them with the angélus the morning. Sunday, the door remained closed until the large-mass. The guard who lived the tower was charged to take the taxes of entry and exit on the goods, in particular the wine.

With the efforts made to reintroduce the storks by the municipality, the nest which surmounts the tower is again occupied.

The painted armorial bearings are those of the town of TURCKHEIM.

Brood in the heart of the Alsatian vineyard, Turckheim knew to preserve its historical inheritance, as its three doors and considerable buildings dating from the last centuries testify it.

But Turckheim is also one of the only towns of France to still having a Night watchman: every evening, from May to October, it makes its round as from 22 hours... To miss under no pretext!

CHART Of IDENTITE

Population: 3662 inhabitants (2000) 3609 inhabitants (1975)

Surface:

- surface of the round of applause: 1646 ha

- surface of the forests: 855 ha

- surface of the vineyard: 350 ha

- pre surface/field: 201 ha

- urbanized surface: 100 ha

road : - coming from the RN 83 (Northern axis - South Alsace) and from Colmar, Ligibel crossroads, Western direction by MINOR ROAD 11

- coming from Schlucht - Munster, initially D 417, until Munster then D 10

liason drunk : Epinal, Gérardmer, Schlucht, Munster, Turckheim

rail : railway line Colmar - Turckheim - Munster - Metzeral

air : to 7 km Houssen Colmar to 60 km Mulhouse Basle - Paris connection, areas and international

to 80 km Strasbourg Entzheim - Paris connection, areas and international

A Little HISTORY...

1311: ask construction of the enclosing walls

1312: March 14 the Emperor Henri VII in Pisa grants the right of city

1354: September 23 "TURINGHEIM" enters the league of the 10 cities of Décapole

1611: first reference to the Christmas tree

1675: January 5, Battles of Turckheim, Marshal TURENNE gains the battle against the Imperial ones

1713: creation of a paper mill on Muhlbach

1868: inauguration of the railway line Colmar - Turckheim - Munster

1880: water conveyance

1899-1932: first electric tram Turckheim - Three-Ears

Hotel de Ville - Turckheim
6 street of the Council
68230 TURCKHEIM
Tel.: 03 89 27 18 08
Fax: 03 89 80 82 12
e-mail: town hall-turckheim@calixo.net

History of the vines
- As of the 7th century, of significant viticultural fields existed in Alsace, of which that of Turckheim, pertaining to the Abbey of Munster.
- First apogee of the Alsatian vineyard with 15th and 16th century, significant trade between Turckheim and Switzerland.
- the Thirty year old War, the appearance of diseases and the invasions of insects, reflect fine at this boom, until 1918.
- Thanks to new farming techniques and encépagement noble, the vineyard found its vitality little after 1918.
Brand
Turckheim has with Brand, one of the most prestigious sites of wine Alsace. This fame is due to two essential factors:
- geographical situation: orientation southern, south-eastern, therefore a maximum sunning and a protection compared to the cold winds of North
- nature of the basement: sablo-muddy, siliceous , of average acidity (pH=5,8) and fairly fertile.The type of vines resulting from this place are the Riesling (particularly subtle and fruity), Tokay and Gewurztraminer.
The notoriety of the wines resulting from this locality, "Brand", was worth to him the right to the Controlled Label of origin, "Alsace Great Vintage".
The basement of the other parts of the vineyard of Turckheim (341 hectares on the whole), is very diversified. The wines thus are very varied, such as for example the Riesling:
- calcareous soil (Schneckelsbourg), giving the more nervous Riesling with fruity least powerful
- soil marno-limestone (Heimbourg): Typical Riesling
- alluvial soil: Riesling light, expressive, very fruity but body lack, should be consumed only the second or third year.