Dangolsheim

Perched on a hillside, Dangolsheim rises to 384 meters above sea level and has about 750 inhabitants. Founded on an ancient Celtic route, the village became a strategic Roman point in the 5th century to monitor a waterway below. The Merovingians then influenced its development, introducing the first vineyards on its slopes in the 8th century, likely thanks to monks. Later, casemates and the "Feste Kaiser Wilhelm II," a massive fortress built between 1893 and 1917, were constructed here; only part of this fortress is now open to the public within the commune. The Saint Pancras Church, visible from afar, overlooks the village. The 16th-century washhouse, surrounded by legends about a Roman soldier, and the old houses showcase the local architecture. The Madonna of Dangolsheim, a 15th-century walnut wood sculpture (1.07 m), displayed at the Berlin museum, completes this remarkable heritage. Vibrant, the village offers a rich social and economic life while preserving the authenticity of a small village steeped in history.