Wangen

Perched at the foot of the Wangenberg, which rises to 391 meters, the small town of Wangen offers a peaceful setting, almost like something out of a fairy tale. With only 670 inhabitants, this Alsatian village stays away from noise and bustle, protected by two medieval gates that block vehicle access at the upper level. For the walker, Wangen becomes an ideal destination for a serene exploration. Arriving from the Mossig valley via the slope, visitors first discover the Niedertor, the lower gate, once defended by a ditch 15 meters wide and 6 meters deep until the 17th century. Two other gates, the Sondertor and the Motscheltor, once completed this defensive system.

The origins of Wangen date back to the 8th century, when Adalbert, brother of Saint Odile, received the farm "Wanga" from King Chilperic II. The name Wangen derives from the Celtic *gwaneg*, then *Wang*, meaning "the grassy slope of a mountain." The locality was later given to the Abbey of Saint-Étienne and became a "colonge," a typical rural organization in Alsace and some Rhine regions, where only the abbess could levy taxes and administer justice. A castle was built in the village center in the 13th century, but today only ruins remain.

At the place called Wangenmuhl stands the Castel des Garat, where in 1871 lived Baron de Garat, director of the Bank of France, married to the daughter of Schulmeister, the famous spy of Napoleon I.