Basilica of Our Lady of Thierenbach

Just two kilometers from Soultz, the Basilica of Our Lady of Thierenbach stands in an exceptional natural setting at the foot of the Vieil Armand and the Grand Ballon. This Marian sanctuary, dating back to the 8th century (around 730), was founded by Benedictine monks from Murbach who came from Ireland. According to tradition, a young noble from Soultz, suffering from an incurable disease, was miraculously healed there in 1125. Five years later, in 1130, Peter the Venerable, abbot of Cluny, established a Benedictine priory there, which disappeared during the Revolution.

The current church, in Austrian Baroque style, was built in 1723 by architect Peter Thumb. It became the parish church of Jungholtz in 1881 and was elevated to the rank of minor basilica by Pope Pius XI in 1936. In 1980, the celebrations of the 1250th anniversary of the pilgrimage marked its history. The walls of the building are adorned with more than 800 ex-votos, the oldest dating from 1680, testimonies of graces received or requests made to the Virgin.

The basilica also houses a Didier Fisher Krämer organ, built in 1923, around which many concerts are organized throughout the year. Guided tours for groups are available by reservation through the Guebwiller Soultz and Florival Country Tourist Office (phone 03 89 76 10 63). The schedules of religious services, regularly updated, can be consulted online to allow visitors to attend celebrations without disturbing them.