Niedernai

Niedernai, an Alsatian village of 1,250 inhabitants, embodies the rural character of the Alsace plain through its mixed farming. Located just 3 km from Obernai and 8 km from Barr, it enjoys a strategic position between the wine route and the Vosges mountains, ideal for organizing visits, walks, or excursions in the region. Its history dates back at least to the year 707, when the place called Niederehnheim was first mentioned. This name, which evolved into Niedernai, refers to its location below the Ehn river, similar to Obernai, situated upstream. The village preserves traces of its medieval past, such as the remains of two castles that belonged to the Lords of Landsberg until the Revolution, as well as a defensive wall with towers and double ramparts dating from 1284. Niedernai suffered greatly from conflicts, notably the Thirty Years' War and the annexation of Alsace by Louis XIV. Between the 14th century and 1871, the village was home to a significant Jewish community, representing about 17% of the population on the eve of the Revolution. However, the German occupations of 1871 and then 1940 marked the end of this historic presence in the village.