Altkirch

Altkirch ( elsässich Àltkìrech ) is a French town with 5761 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2011 ) in the department of Haut-Rhin in the Alsace region. The city is the seat of the prefecture (French Sous- préfecture ) Arrondissement of Altkirch, this consists of four cantons, it is the capital (French: chef- lieu) of the Canton of Altkirch and seat of the municipal association Altkirch.

Geography

Altkirch situated on a hill above the river Ill and is the central place of Sundgauvian in southern Alsace. After Basel in the east is about 30 kilometers away, Belfort in the west about 42 kilometers to Mulhouse in the north about 19 kilometers.

Neighboring communities of Altkirch are Unteraspach and Walheim in the north, Witter village in the east, and Hirsingue Hirtzbach in the south and Carspach in the northwest.

History

The city was founded in the 11th century. In 1324 they fell by marriage into the possession of the Habsburg dynasty, from the Peace of Westphalia (1648 ) was one of them - with an interruption from 1871 to 1918 - with France. In 1659 it passed into the possession of Cardinal Mazarin by gift of King Louis XIV.

Altkirch regarded as a place of pilgrimage since it is life and burial site of the Regional saints St. Morandus. The pilgrimage church contains in addition to the Gothic stone grave of the Benedictine also be valuable head reliquary of 1428.

Demographics

Culture and sights

In a Renaissance building Sundgau Museum is set up, the displays furniture from Alsace and works of regional artist Jean-Jacques Henner.

Virgin 's Fountain at the Place de la République

Rue du Général -de- Gaulle

Synagogue in Altkirch

Transport links

Altkirch has a train station ⊙ 47.6272827.239187 on the railway line Paris -Mulhouse since October 15, 1857. Chain here In 1891 the railway line Altkirch - Ferrette from. The passenger has been set on this route in 1951, freight traffic in 1968. Until December 2011 Intercités stopped trains in Altkirch, through the commissioning of the LGV Rhin -Rhône keep only TER TER Alsace and Franche -Comté trains.

Twinning

Altkirch maintains partnerships to Le Thor in the Vaucluse (France) since 1991 and San Daniele del Friuli in the province of Udine (Italy ) since 1994.

Sons and daughters of the town

• Paul Ackermann (1812-1846), linguist and writer
• Lucien Herr (1864-1926), intellectual
• Bergsträsser Ludwig (1883-1960), German politician
• Ingo Lang from Langen (1895-1979), German jurist
• Hildegard Bleyler (1899-1984), German politician