The Rangen Cross

Perched atop the Rangen hill, the Rangen Cross, or s’Rangenkritz in Alsatian, overlooks the steep vineyards of the town of Thann. This imposing cast iron structure, nine meters tall and painted white, was manufactured and erected in 1900 at the request of a local canon. It replaces an old wooden cross installed on the same site a century earlier.

Transporting it to the summit was no easy task: assembled in separate pieces, the cross was hauled up by the strength of four oxen before being mounted on site.

To admire this work and enjoy the panoramic view it offers, simply take the vineyard trail leading to the hill. This roughly 2.5-hour route passes through the region’s iconic vineyard landscapes.