Alsace Wine Road. What to take with beer

The easternmost regions of France - Alsace and Lorraine - have been invariably described together for many centuries, sometimes they are even written with a hyphen as one province. The reason for this is the similar history of this area of ​​​​traditional cohabitation of the French and Germans, which now and then passed under the full control of one or the other side. However, it is precisely these historical collisions that provide the unique flavor that is inherent in these regions. A fusion of culture and cuisine that can be seen in all areas of life, luxurious palaces and powerful fortresses, sad military cemeteries and solemn memorials, beautiful vineyards of the Rhine Valley and green pastures eastern edge The Vosges, picturesque nature and cosmopolitan cities are the main attractions of this land.

Attractions

Alsace

Alsace (in French - Alsace, in German - Elsass) www.tourisme-alsace.com lies in the very north-east of France, stretching along the left bank of the Rhine from the border with Switzerland to Saarbrücken. This is the smallest region of continental France - its two departments, the Bas-Rhin in the north and the Upper Rhine (Haut-Rhin) in the south, cover an area of ​​​​only 8280 square meters. km. Geographically, this is one of the most diverse regions of the country - there is a vast plain of the Rhine and Ile valleys, Rieda protected wetlands (between the Rhine and Ile), large (by European standards, of course) forest zones Ahr, or Hardt (Hardt), and Haguenau, or Agno (Haguenau), the mountain pastures and forests of the Vosges (the highest point is Mount Grand Ballon, 1424 m) and the Jura, as well as the green hilly areas of the Sungo (Sundgau) and the Vosges massif.

The main cities of Alsace: Strasbourg, Colmar,

Halfway between Strasbourg and Colmar lies a delightful Old city Celeste(Selestat) is the best starting point to explore the central part of the Vosges. During the 15th and 16th centuries, Celeste was the intellectual center of Alsace, and its Latin school, led by Beatus Reinau, was famous for one of the most impressive libraries of its time. It still serves as a kind of landmark of the city - the Bibliotheque Humaniste, founded in the 15th century and occupying the complex of the former grain exchange, now shows guests not only the rarest manuscripts of the 7th-9th centuries, but also a small art collection. However, the real masterpiece of the collection is 1507 manuscripts of the so-called "Descriptive Cosmography" (Cosmographiae Introductio) - the first document on Earth in which the term "America" ​​was used. Also here you can see the Romanesque church of Sainte-Foy (Ste-Foy, XIII century) and the Gothic Saint-Georges (XVI century).

Within 10 km around the city you can find several medieval castles at once varying degrees preservation - the well-preserved Dambach-la-Ville and the huge and rather unusual in architecture Chateau Bernstein (both lie 7 km north of the city), the ruins of the Kinzheim castle (4 km south-west of the village of the same name, now there is a shelter for birds of prey www. voleriedesaigles.com), as well as Audenbourg (Odenburg, XV-XVII centuries, restored in the XX century on the direct orders of Kaiser Wilhelm II) - one of the largest and most visited castles in Alsace, the ruins of three fortresses near Ribeauville, as well as old fortifications the towns of Berheim (3.5 km northeast of Ribeauville), Riquewihr and Unvir

Big industrial city Mulhouse(Mulhouse, 35 km south of Colmar) belonged to Switzerland until 1798, even today many of its inhabitants work in Basel. In the city itself worth a visit interesting museum textile printing www.musee-impression.com with an extensive collection on the history of dyeing (Mulhouse has long been the capital of weaving in France), combined with a similar museum in Riksheim (6 km east of the city), the Historical Museum, the recently renovated Museum of French Railways, combined with the "City of Automobiles" www.citedutrain.com and the Automobile Museum of the Schlumpf brothers www.collection-schlumpf.com (the earliest example of a "self-running carriage" in the collection of the latter dates back to 1878 ). 10 km northwest of Mulhouse, in the town Ungersheim(Ungersheim), it is worth visiting the Museum of Regional Traditions and Nature www.ecomusee-alsace.com with its traditional Alsatian houses (more than 50) and permanently open handicraft workshops.

Lorraine

Lorraine, or Loren (Lorraine, Lothringen), lies in the northeast of France, adjacent to Alsace in the southeast, and to Germany, Luxembourg and Belgium in the north. The name of this historical province comes from the Latin Lotharii regnum, which translates as "the kingdom of Lothair" - one of the three grandsons of Charlemagne (as the French call Charlemagne). This is a more flat area than Alsace, a region in the east resting on the slopes of the Vosges, and in the west dissected by a low chain of mountains Argon and Meuse. The rest of the territory is a low plateau blown by all winds, whose rather monotonous landscape is interrupted only by the valleys of the Moselle, Meuse (Meuse), Saar and numerous canals. For more than a thousand years, Lorraine has been the main invasion route from the Germanic countries, so it is not surprising that so much here is connected with military history, and the double cross of Lorraine was chosen as a symbol of resistance to the invaders by both Joan of Arc and Charles de Gaulle.

The capital of Lorraine and the department of Moselle is the city of Metz. Another significant city of Lorraine is Nancy.

Winter holidays

Low Vosges widely known as beautiful place for fans of flat skiing and cross-country. However, for lovers of mountain recreation, there are more than 1000 km of trails here - albeit not long, but very picturesque.

Wooded hills and low Vosges cliffs create good prerequisites for the formation of a stable snow cover, and proximity to big cities- excellent conditions for a trip for a day or two.

The largest ski center in the region - La Bresse (La Bresse) consists of the resorts Col de la Schlucht, La Bresse Hohneck, Le Brabant and Le Lispach, surrounding the top of the Grand Ballon (1424 m). Less well-known centers are Hohwald - Champ du Feu, Col des Bagenelles, Dolleren Schlumpf, Frenz, Gaschney, Lac Blanc, Le Tanet, Markstein, Schnepfenried, La Planche des Belles Filles, Gerardmer, La Bouloie - Larcenaire, Le Valtin, Rouge Gazon, Ventron and Xonrupt Longemer.

Text and photos by Tatyana Borodina

Many places on earth claim to be the "Heart of Europe", it is difficult to be objective in this dispute. But the fact that Alsace, its geographical center, becomes clear by looking at the map of Europe. Yes, and the main European crossroads is located here - in just a couple of hours, from Alsace you can get to Germany, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, Austria or Luxembourg.

Apple of discord

The fabulous world of this region is spread in the valley of the great Rhine, framed by the Vagues mountain ranges. Alsace is the beauty of a coniferous forest, the expanse of picturesque fields, romance ancient cities, the luxury of the architecture of ancient cathedrals and the intoxicating air of France. But France is very special here.

It so happened historically that Alsace, for several centuries, was a bone of contention between France and Germany, as a result of which it became an unusual, but successful fusion of German character and French sophistication. Here, even the inhabitants have formed a special type of appearance, and they speak the Alsatian dialect of French, with a pronunciation reminiscent of German, although officially, both languages, French and German, are equal in Alsace.

The emblem of the region is the stork. And this is not without reason - you will not find such a multitude of storks anywhere else in the world. They fly in flocks over fields and roads, and settle wherever they please, whether it be the roof of a small house or the top of a Gothic cathedral.

Here, with special respect, they treat the belief that happiness and prosperity will come to houses on the roof of which the stork has built a nest - Alsace is a direct proof of this.

Roads towhich we choose

Many roads lead to Alsace, but the journey is important right choice. If you go to Alsace from Paris, you definitely won’t go wrong. This road is full the most beautiful places, historical sights and culinary discoveries. What gives her a special charm is that she passes across Champagne where grapes are grown for selected sparkling wines. The culture of winemaking has been known here since ancient times, but the turning point was the discovery at the end of the 17th century, in the abbey of Oville, of a method for making sparkling drinks. Later one of the most famous became Champagne "Dom Perignon", named after the Benedictine monk, who made a huge contribution to the technology of its manufacture.

Champagne, of course, is very pleasant, but the essence of the journey, of course, is different. The capital of Champagne is Reims- is rightfully considered holy city. It was in Reims in 498 that the legendary Clovis, the founder of the unified French state, accepted Christianity. Here stands Reims Cathedral (XIII century)- a world relic, one of the most grandiose Gothic structures of medieval France.

It still amazes with the aristocratic simplicity of architectural forms, the elegance of sculptural decor and the mysterious tints of ancient stained-glass windows. 25 French kings were crowned in this cathedral.

It was here, on May 19, 1051, that the French King Henry I led his chosen one down the aisle - the daughter of Prince Yaroslav the Wise of Kyiv, Princess Anna, who became Queen of France.

Further, the road will pass through the picturesque Alsatian villages and for 170 kilometers will be called the “Wine Road of France”. These places are famous for their selected white wines “Gewürztramminer”, “Silvaner” and “Muscat”, so tasting them can be considered an indisputable decoration of the trip.

Village surprises.

The peculiarity of traveling along the roads of Alsace lies in the fact that here you need to trust chance and go, as they say, wherever your eyes look. There is not the slightest risk in this, there are so many wonderful and beautiful places in the area.

But if you want to remember your acquaintance with this region for a lifetime, you should choose not a modern hotel for a stop, but one of the small old castles.

Eg Château Osthoffen, located just 20 km from Strasbourg. The castle, which is now a family hotel, has been owned by the same family for centuries. The hosts, Baron and Baroness Grouvel, a charming elderly couple, will meet you with refined French hospitality, give you the charm of social conversation and share a lot of priceless information, not only about the history of the castle, but also about the best local restaurants and culinary traditions of Alsace.

Surrounded by a shady park, on the outskirts of the village of the same name, the grounds of Chateau Osthoffen are spread, which became the family residence of the barons back in the 15th century. Huge wooden gates and an access linden alley, probably still remember the carriages that brought guests to the traditional annual balls.

The estate was not damaged during the French Revolution - a softly murmuring fountain, a cobbled courtyard immersed in flowers, a donjon and a bridge thrown over a defensive moat greet guests with a genuine atmosphere of antiquity.

An unusually wide spiral staircase, along which are hung old portraits of people subtly similar to the current owners of the castle, leads to spacious, decorated in the style of the 18th century, guest quarters.

Comfort and silence, what could be desires for a weary traveler. An open window to the garden, and the charm of the night, filled with the singing of birds and a bright scattering of the starry sky, cast a serene dream. And in the morning, waking up from the singing of a lark in the blue sky, you will remember that on the way to Osthoffen, on the top of the mountain, there was another medieval castle, which today you need to visit inconspicuously.

Mountain forest road will lead to one of the most remarkable castles of the Koenigsburg region. Its construction began in the first half of the 12th century, and in its lifetime it experienced many glorious and heroic battles. The history of Koenigsburg is varied and changeable. He knew centuries of glory and years of desolation.

It was captured and destroyed, it burned to the ground and was reborn from the ashes. Today, the castle has been completely restored and is a picturesque museum complex, located on the very top of the Vosges mountain range, from where a unique view of Alsace opens.

border city

But no matter how sweet the French village, All roads in Alsace lead to Strasbourg. The city stands on the border of France and Germany and it is difficult to find another in the world with such a rich and rich past. The names of Gutenberg and Luther, Mozart and Goethe are associated with Strasbourg, and it was not without reason that it was chosen as the capital of the European community.

As is known medieval city starts from the cathedral. Strasbourg Cathedral is very special and unique, it is considered the main attraction not only of the city, but of the whole country. Cathedral of the Virgin Mary, a unique monument of flaming Gothic, began to be built at the beginning of the 12th century, and was completed five centuries later. He remained in history, not only as one of the most beautiful, but the tallest building of medieval Europe.

The cathedral has only one tower and therefore it looks a bit unusual. But it was built for too long, and the desire to make it as majestic as possible led to endless changes in the project. In the end, there was simply no money for a second tower, and the foundation laid in the 12th century was not designed for such ambitious plans.

The streets of the old town, built up with houses of the 16th-17th centuries, scatter in all directions from the cathedral. One of them comes to monument to Gutenberg, who in the 15th century created the first printing press in Europe.

Not far from it is the most beloved part of the city, called “Little France”. Streets carved with a network of canals, lanes built up with medieval houses with peaked roofs, humpbacked bridges resemble old French engravings.

But Strasbourg is famous not only for its past. Now it is a recognized European intellectual center, where the second largest French university after the Sorbonne is located, the European Parliament and the European Court of Human Rights are located, the headquarters of the Council of Europe is located.

wonder city

The unique old town of Colmar, with its canals, bridges, and picturesque colored houses immersed in greenery. It is easy to guess that it is called “little Venice”, but there is no need for this compliment, it is so original and interesting in itself.

Colmar is one of the most romantic cities on earth, lovers from all over the world come here to enjoy the truly French atmosphere of idyll and beauty.

But besides the romantic atmosphere, Colmar is rich in many other surprises. It is hard to imagine that in such a small and cozy town, in the building of a Dominican monastery of the XIII century, is Art Museum Unterlinden, with a world-class collection of paintings and unique masterpieces of the German Renaissance. It is also interesting that the author of the world-famous Statue of Liberty, the sculptor Bartholdi, lived and worked in Colmar.

And it’s completely unexpected to find out that every July Colmar turns into a kind of crossroads of musical cultures: international festival organized by the famous Russian musician and conductor Vladimir Spivakov. The singer Patricia Kaas also lives in this wonderful city.

What to take with beer?

Of course, it is impossible to imagine a trip to Alsace without a mug of the best beer in France. Alsace is a recognized center of not only French, but also European brewing. Its history spans more than one century, going back to the 9th century. Interestingly, only in the department of the Lower Rhine beer is produced 2 times more than in Bavaria.

Getting to know the unique historical region of Alsace promises you a lot of positive impressions and amazing discoveries. You will learn hundreds of ancient legends, visit wonderful cities, see many unique sights, enjoy French wines and exclusive culinary delights.

Alsace - a marvelous historical corner on the border of France and Germany

A magnificent and picturesque valley called Alsace is hidden between the mountain peaks of the Vosges and the famous Rhine in the very east of France. In the immediate vicinity of this fertile region is the border with Germany.

The history of the region is extremely interesting and majestic. It covers more than one and a half millennia of grandiose battles, the most brutal conquests and glorious liberations. For many centuries, for Alsace France led military conflicts with the German side, and only in the 18th year of the twentieth century, the lands finally began to belong to France.

The atmosphere of a gentle and romantic French fairy tale

The long and tense confrontation between the two great powers can explain the uniqueness and uniqueness of the local culture, in which the best traditions of both peoples were synthesized. At every step you can meet cute stone houses, stunning fountains that please the ear with a melodious murmur, dilapidated knights' estates and centuries-old towers. Entire families of storks nest on the roofs, and magnificent French wine is stored in the cellars of local residents, comparable in taste and aroma to the drink of the Olympian gods - the legendary ambrosia. The atmosphere of incomprehensible cordiality, hospitality and magic literally floating in the air makes us believe that we somehow got into the plot of a beautiful romantic fairy tale!

It is noteworthy that in such a marvelous region as Alsace, France appears in all its grandeur. Here, the memory of history is extremely carefully preserved, carefully accumulating hundreds of fascinating legends and sacredly honoring ancient traditions. So, any tourist just needs to take a chance and admire with his own eyes the stunning mysterious grottoes, where the priests of the forest, the druids, once lived. This Alsatian shrine has been preserved on the hill of the patroness of the region - Saint Odile. According to an old legend, in the seventh century the blind daughter of the Duke of Etignon managed to regain her sight here. In honor of the incredible miracle, she founded a monastery on this site, which attracts crowds of pilgrims who want to wash themselves with water from a magical spring.

Perhaps the most complete influence of German culture is felt in the culinary traditions of Alsace. Be sure to try a unique delicacy called “shukrut”, which is an unusually tasty, well-stewed sauerkraut, to which potatoes, wine and all kinds of sausages and sausages are added.

Strasbourg - the heart of Alsace

For people who come to Alsace, France opens its arms, so you need to enjoy every moment of your stay in this paradise. Be sure to visit Strasbourg. The ancient city, called the capital of a united Europe, will win you over with its unearthly beauty, amazing architecture and extraordinary charm. Perhaps its main attraction is absolutely reasonably considered a grandiose Gothic cathedral called Notre Dame. The legendary building is the tallest church in the Old World, and it took about three centuries to build it.

Strasbourg is also famous for its wonderful fortress towers in the Petite France quarter. In this stunning city, the genius Goethe comprehended the mystery of science, and since 1949, the seat of the European Parliament and the Council of Europe has been located here.

Beautiful cities of Alsace and their sights

In the immediate vicinity of the famous Wine Road is the town of Sulz. It is here that the family estate of the Dantes family is located. Just from here, the young and ambitious baron left for Russia, where an evil fate brought him to a duel with Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin. Thus, thanks to the Alsace region, France once again (and very tragically) came into contact with Russian culture.

A little to the west of the capital there is an extremely colorful settlement Saverne. Here, behind a luxurious veil of greenery, a stunning episcopal palace, in the unique rose garden of which more than 450 varieties of a divine, incredibly elegant flower are collected.

To the south of Saverne is Marlenheim, where you can admire the ancient farms of peasants who became famous for the art of winemaking. In the town of Awolsheim, in the early Romanesque chapel called St. Ulrich, a marvelous collection of frescoes has been collected, and passing through Molsheim, it is worth visiting the Gothic Jesuit church and production capacity, where the Italian Bugatti designed his masterpiece cars.

Also special attention deserve the two stunning villages of Riquewihr and Ribeauville, as well as the castle-bastion of 0-Königsburg. Everything here is imbued with the spirit of chivalry, and the preserved vaulted halls, donjon towers, powerful fortifications with narrow loopholes remind of grandiose tournaments, magnificent festivities and great battles. As you can see, in the Alsace region, France opens up to us from a different, unexpected, but no less original and attractive side.

In the Rhine Valley, the town of Colmar hid from the human eye. Wandering through its winding streets, admiring the centuries-old buildings, unique canals, graceful bridges and slow-moving gondolas, you will feel the spirit of Little Venice.

Alsace - the dream of European businessmen and tourists

Most of the leading European tour operators position Alsace as a region with an unusually developed tourism industry. Indeed, it is located in the heart of the Old World, and just a few hours of leisurely and comfortable driving along the stunning autobahns separate it from the border with Germany, Holland, Switzerland and Luxembourg.

For a long time, being a world-class trade crossroads and the most important business center of France, Alsace still convenes thousands of businessmen to participate in various conferences, briefings, round tables, exhibitions, presentations and other relevant events. In parallel with working visits, representatives of business structures indulge in a serene pastime, participate in excursion programs and visit the sights.

Alsace is a region of France on the border with Germany and Switzerland.
There is something special about this little corner of Europe, and it is not for nothing that France and Germany have been at war for the possession of this territory for many centuries. A special fragrant grape ripens here. And what kind of wine does it make ...

Alsace France on video

Alsace on the map

Kintzheim Fortress

IN medieval castle Kinzheim One of the sights of Alsace awaits you - aviaries with birds of prey - kites, vultures, condors. A show is held daily, during which birds catch objects in the air, an eagle brings a snake in its claws, etc.

monkey mountain

In the photo, another attraction of France is the mountain of monkeys.

Alsace wine road

The wine road is the name of an intricate route that runs along the ancient villages in the foothills, called the Vosges. The road winds through Alsace, a tiny French province near the border. Alsace is mostly known for its capital, Strasbourg.

The wine road slowly wanders between hills covered with vines. In each of the villages you meet, you will be offered to rest or spend the night in a small hotel or guest room. Of course, in the summer season it is not easy to find such a place. But the residents have already adapted to the flow of tourists and can provide, if not a room, then at least a corner in the yard where you can put your car or put up a tent.

In each house you can try your own "signature" wine, produced according to a special ancient recipe. And in the distance before you suddenly appear the mysterious outlines of ancient knight's castles. It is not clear whether it is a mirage, or tired, or the effect of fine wine ...

But castles don't disappear with the sunrise. Abandoned and inhabited, they are like illustrations from the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm come to life. Perhaps the most famous of them is Upper Koenigsburg, on the slope of Mount Saint Odile, named after the patroness of Alsace. Nearby is the monastery founded by her.

Next, the guide will take you to the castle, spread out on the Stofanberch mountain. Having received the plan, you can wander through the numerous halls and corridors. In some of them you will be greeted with knightly tunes by musicians dressed in ancient clothes.

The wine road leads to Colmar, a small charming corner that has long been considered the capital of winemaking. Most tourists settle here, because today Colmar is mainly a resort town.

It's nice to ride in a tourist train around, and then just wander through its old streets. Vacationers consider it their duty to visit the Unterlinden Museum, located in the Dominican monastery, and linger near the most valuable "exhibit" - the Isenheim altar of Matis Grunewald. Someone will want to look at the house where Frederic Bartholdi, the author of the American Statue of Liberty, was born.

Someone will certainly want to enter the Cathedral of St. Martin and stare at the altar "Virgin Mary framed by roses." Well, the majority will immediately go to the Little Venice quarter, which is indeed exactly the copy of a large one, with picturesque canals and even gondolas.

Well, the wine road continues its "run" further - straight to Strasbourg. The capital of the United Europe will meet you with flags - its own, French and European with circles of yellow stars on a blue background. Here it is, the city-peacemaker, in which the European Parliament, the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights are baked about the fate of all European peoples. And the Bridge of Europe was thrown across the Rhine, connecting Strasbourg with the German Kehl.

However, the first person who "built bridges" between nations can be called the famous native of Strasbourg - Johannes Gutenberg, the inventor of the printing press. Along the streets of the old quarter, you can go to the square named after him, in the middle of which flaunts majestic monument. But the main magnet of the old city is the local Notre Dame, the Gothic Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg.

Overcoming 330 steps spiral staircase, you will find yourself at the very top, from where the whole panorama of the old city opens. Imagine how beautiful it is here on Christmas Eve! After all, Strasbourg is considered the capital of European Christmas and starts the festivities before the rest: the French Santa Claus enters the city on November 25th.

In a cozy restaurant, you will be served delicious Alsatian sauerkraut choux and excellent nutmeg. And as a souvenir, grab a napkin with the symbols of the United Europe.

ALSACE (ALSACE)

Main city region: Strasbourg

Brief information about the province

Alsace is a historical region in the east of France, in the Rhine river basin. It is located 400 km from Paris, in the heart of Europe. Alsace is located between the Vosges mountains and the Rhine. The area of ​​Alsace is 8.3 thousand km². The population is mainly Alsatians. The main city and port is Strasbourg (Strasbourg - in French pronunciation). Alsace forms a planned economic region within the departments of Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin.

To understand Alsace, you need to say at least a little about its past. Alsace is first mentioned in historical documents 7th century. At the end of the 7th - the first half of the 8th century, it was a duchy, and then a county in the state of the Carolingians. In 870, as part of the eastern part of Lorraine, the territory of Alsace was ceded to the East Frankish kingdom. Advantageous location of Alsace on trade routes from Italy to Germany and France contributed from the XII century to the growth of the economic and political importance of its cities, many of which received self-government or the status of imperial cities. In the XII-XIV centuries, cloth-making and wine-making intensively developed in Alsace. In the XV-XVI centuries, Alsace was an important center of humanism and the Reformation, which was facilitated by the rapidly developing book printing in Strasbourg.

At the end of the XV-XVI centuries, Alsace was covered by peasant-plebeian movements. According to the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, Alsace went to France, but the imperial cities remained subordinate to the empire. In 1673, the French king Louis XIV occupied ten cities of Alsace, and in 1681 - Strasbourg. The Peace of Ryswick in 1697 secured Strasbourg and other Alsatian lands to France. For several centuries, being a bone of contention between Germany and France, having been part of the "Holy Roman Empire", in the second half of the 17th century, Alsace, it would seem, was forever proclaimed a French province. However, under the terms of the Peace of Frankfurt in 1871, Alsace and East Lorraine were reattached to Germany, constituting the imperial state of Alsace-Lorraine. And only in 1918, according to the Treaty of Versailles, Alsace again went to France. The province finally came under the control of Paris in 1945 after the end of World War II.

These historical upheavals could not but affect the way of life of the Alsatians: although now they are considered French, nevertheless, the influence of German culture is felt in everything. This is manifested with particular force in architecture and in the gastronomic tastes of the Alsatians. The meal is certainly accompanied by excellent local wine. Alsatian grapes are grown on the best lands of the province. But the main thing is hard human work and the blessed sun. Under its rays, crops ripen literally one after another. And according to the Alsatians, if Alsace is a champion in something, it is certainly in the production of excellent white Riesling wine.

Brief information about wines

Alsace produces seven varieties of famous wines - six whites and one red. The wines are named after the grape varieties: Gewurtztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Sylvaner "(Sylvaner) and" Tokay Pinot Gris "(Tokay Pinot Gris). The wine is bottled in tall narrow bottles and stored in low temperature cellars. The "Wine Route" stretches along the eastern spurs of the Vosges Mountains and reaches a length of about 100 km.

It seems that Alsace seems to have stepped out of the pages of a fairy tale: houses with gable roofs, built of stone and wood, are decorated with flowers, and storks nested on the chimneys of some of them. And these provincial towns and villages of Alsace certainly have a real Alsatian charm that can only be felt here.

In Alsace, Romanesque-church architecture received its special development. Among the features of the strict, heavy Romanesque architecture of Alsace is the endowment of the western facade of the churches with two quadrangular towers and a vestibule enclosed between niches, which has a triangular pediment; these features include, in addition, the often encountered rectilinear ending of the chorus and the somewhat wild fantasy of ornamentation, with its figures of people and animals. Here, a small church can serve as an example of a basilica with columns. St. George in Haguenau (1149-1184). Other Alsatian churches are in most cases cruciform basilicas, with only pillars. In the church of St. The legeria at Gebweiler, founded in 1082, is already showing a transitional style. The old main part of this church is a communication system; above it rise two western towers and a tower above the crossroads.

Just a 15-minute drive from Strasbourg towards the Vosges is the town of Marlenheim (Marlenheim, 3000 inhabitants) and the old farms of peasant winemakers at the northern end of the Alsatian "wine route". It also passes through the city of Avolsheim, where you can admire beautiful frescoes in the early Romanesque chapel of St. Ulric, and then to Molsheim. A Gothic Jesuit church was built here in the 17th century.

Colmar is located in the Rhine Valley - trading city with restored old streets and bridges and ancient stone buildings. Boats driven by real gondoliers scurry along the city canals, which is why the city is called "little Venice". Since its heyday (XIII-XVIII centuries), not only historical Center old city, but also priceless works of art. It is here that you can see one of the last and very unusual Gothic collections of paintings, which includes works by Mathis and Grunewald. The Isenheim altarpiece by Mathis Niethardt (1515) is a gem of the Unterlinden museum collection. And the Dominican church is famous for the image of the Madonna in a gazebo of roses, created by Martin Schongauer.

Near the town of Sélestat, there are two beautiful villages with half-timbered houses - Ribeauvillé with a picturesque market square and Riquewihr, reminiscent of a museum, as well as a powerful fortress castle Haut-Koenigsbourg. Once the castle belonged to the Staufen dynasty, and at the beginning of the 20th century it was rebuilt by Kaiser Wilhelm II. The construction of the castle began in the first half of the 12th century. In subsequent times, it was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt - the usual fate of ancient defensive structures. Now the castle has been completely restored and is a picturesque complex, spread out on the very top of the Vosges mountain range. Everything here keeps the memory of the times of the legendary chivalry: donjon towers, vaulted halls, powerful walls with narrow loopholes.

Ribeauville

“Alsace is a holiday…” Emil Baas once wrote. When you get to Ribeauville, you fully understand the meaning of this phrase. Ancient walls, streets, houses always seem to be waiting for the first note of the melody to be heard.

The village is very long story. It is first mentioned in historical documents around the year 768 under the name "Ratbaldovillare", which means "the city of the most courageous man in the Council"

The village was the property of the Duchy of Alsace, the County of Eguisheim, the Greater German Empire and the Bishopric of Basel. Count Ribeaupierre was the last local ruler until the start of the French Revolution. The rulers of Ribeauville patronized the itinerant musicians and actors who filled the streets of the village every year on September 8, the feast of the Virgin Mary. This tradition continues to this day, with people coming from all around Ribeauville to watch performances by actors and musicians greeting their ancient patrons.

Riquewihr

Riquewihr has been the subject of admiration for travelers for many centuries. Its location and layout have not changed since the Middle Ages.

The city really looks like a museum under the sky: old houses built in the 16th and 17th centuries, gardens, balconies, ancient springs and fountains. Almost all architectural styles are amazingly woven here. preserved for many centuries appearance cities, and most of the inhabitants are engaged in the same thing as their ancestors - winemaking. On the streets of Riquewihr, you can feel the special aroma of local wine. Perhaps this is the secret of the admiration that Riquewihr arouses in himself.

Strasbourg

All roads of Alsace lead to the capital - the city of Strasbourg, known in the history of the Roman times under the name Argentoratum. Strasbourg in translation means "city of roads", because. it is located in the heart of Europe, at the crossroads of trade routes.

In the XIII century, Strasbourg received the status of a free city, but in 1697, at the end of the war with the Augsburg League, between Louis XIV, King of France, on the one hand, and the Holy Roman Empire, England, Holland, Sweden, Spain and small German principalities, on the other , was annexed to France. As a result of the Franco-Prussian War of 1871, the city returned to the jurisdiction of Germany, but after the First World War it again went to France.

Now the city is the "capital" of the European Union. After all, it is in Strasbourg that two most important organizations are located: the Council of Europe (since 1940) and the European Parliament (since 1952).

Many famous people lived and worked for a long time in the former free imperial city. Johannes Gutenberg developed the basics of typography here, subsequently making his discoveries public in his hometown of Mainz. Young Johann Wolfgang von Goethe defended his dissertation here in 1771, romantically experienced love for the pastor's daughter Friederike Brion from Sessenheim and often climbed the cathedral tower to get rid of the fear of heights. The well-known Austrian diplomat Prince K. Metternich also studied at the local university.

Place Brogli is the home where Roger de Lisle wrote and first performed the Marseillaise, which became the French national anthem in 1880.

Modern Strasbourg is a recognized European intellectual center. Here is the second most important French university after the Sorbonne, which has gained fame for such faculties as law, where Goethe studied back in 1770, as well as faculties of natural science.

The pride of the city is the Gothic North Dame Cathedral, built in the 13th-15th centuries.

STRASBURG NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL

The dual heritage of Strasbourg was reflected in the special dualism of its architecture, where two architectural traditions intersected - French and German. And although all city temples, of course, were built in the style french gothic, the tower of Strasbourg Cathedral resembles the corresponding buildings in Cologne and Ulm. Like Notre Dame Cathedral, Strasbourg Cathedral stands on an island formed as a result of the division of the Ile River into several branches. Like its Parisian counterpart, the cathedral in Strasbourg is visible from all sides. The temple is built of pinkish-red sandstone. Facing with this stone gives the walls of the building an unusually smooth surface.

The cathedral is famous for its 142-meter spire, one of the highest in Europe.

The style of the cathedral is mainly Gothic, but with the preservation of a number of Romanesque features. The construction of the cathedral began in 1015. The crypt, dated to the early 12th century, was the first to be built. It included part of the old church that once stood on this site. Only this crypt and part of the choir survived from the original temple. The choir, dating back to the 11th-12th centuries, is Romanesque in style; the apse shows features of the transitional style, while the main nave, rebuilt in 1250–1275, is a pure example of French Gothic.

The central nave follows the best traditions of the Gothic style: soaring columns, lancet vaults, as well as a triforium gallery used to introduce an additional tier of windows, which, together with the lantern of the choir, well illuminate the interior.

The construction of a new Gothic central nave in the cathedral began immediately after the completion of the late Romanesque choir and transept. This indicates close attention to the latest achievements of French architecture. And although at first glance the stylistic contradiction between the various parts of the cathedral may seem glaring, in reality the transition between them was designed quite subtly. Thus, in the later areas of the transept, the same profiles were already used as in the new central nave, and this allows us to conclude that the same architect worked on both parts of the building. Moreover, when designing the central nave, earlier elements of the cathedral were taken into account: the nave was erected on the foundations of a former building built in the 11th century, which is why its width is unusually large. When planning the height of the central nave, the architect took into account the crossroads built earlier, the dimensions of which could not be exceeded (at least in the external appearance of the building). As a result, the central the nave acquired proportions that are completely unusual for a Gothic cathedral: the width of the central nave in Reims is 30 m, and in Strasbourg - 36 m; the height of the central nave in Reims is 38 m, and in Strasbourg - 32 m. However, with all this, the Strasbourg architect managed to create the most modern building for Germany of that era, oriented in its forms mainly to the architecture of the new church building in Saint-Denis, reconstruction which began a few years earlier. From there, such motifs were borrowed as a support pillar with pilasters continuously rising to the very vault, a glazed triforium and openwork window decor, as well as niches and a blank arcade in the walls of the side aisles. However, none of these elements was copied from the Saint-Denis temple without changes. All of them were partly influenced by the style of more modern buildings, such as the cathedral at Châlons-sur-Marne. Moreover, there are also completely original details: for example, an unusually large number of pilasters surrounding the support pillar (sixteen).

Construction of the façade began shortly after the completion of the central nave in 1275. Each portal is divided into three parts: in the foreground there is a decorative tong, behind it is an openwork partition, and only then is the wall itself. Even the giant rose window with a diameter of 15 m in the center of the façade is separated from the wall due to the fact that protruding rings of openwork stone work are placed in the axils.

When looking at this facade, it is obvious that the development trend gothic architecture changed in Strasbourg. If the central nave of the cathedral still tends to French models, made in the classical "moderate" style, then the facade clearly indicates a shift towards new and very unusual forms. In terms of scale, the facade also noticeably exceeds the earlier parts of the building, which makes it seem to the observer the main element of the entire structure of the cathedral. It is no coincidence that its construction began at a time when Strasbourg achieved economic prosperity, and the inhabitants of the city were freed from the power of the bishop (the city council took over the construction of the cathedral). In the chronicles of that time, this building was already sung as a sign of the coming golden age. The question of what role Erwin of Steinbach, first mentioned in written sources in 1284, played in the design of the facade of the Strasbourg Cathedral is still controversial. However, there can be no doubt that this façade is a highly original creation of a master endowed with outstanding artistic talent.

Of the two planned towers, only the northern one (1419–1439) was completed. Of all the elements of the external decoration of the temple, a tower with a spire stands out. Supports in the form of stairs support the tower in the upper part, while the spire has the shape of a huge stone pine cone. The construction of this tower was started by Erwin von Steinbach after 1284. Jean Gerlach (1341-1371) built the tower to platform level. Michel de Freiburg continued the work, and in the 1380s the tower was already rising above the rose window. Ulrich von Enzingen by 1419 reached the base of the octagonal spire, and in 1439 Johann Hultz completed the construction of the spire

The interior is famous for the magnificent sculptural decoration of the pulpit, made in 1486, and stained-glass windows of the 12th-14th centuries. Stained glass windows are considered to be the main decoration of the Strasbourg Cathedral. Pink-red sandstone emphasizes the brightness of color combinations. The best stained-glass windows are preserved in the two lanterns of the transept and in the south chapel. nave. The procession of myrrh-bearing women, led by the Mother of God, is depicted in the lantern of the north transept arm, while the image in the lantern of the south transept arm represents a group of popes and bishops. Two Romanesque windows of the southern arm of the transept are decorated with episodes from the life of Christ: childhood, shepherding, torment on the cross, as well as scenes of the descent of the Holy Spirit and the Last Judgment.

Beautiful sculptures are placed on the southern, Romanesque portal. The sculpture of Strasbourg Cathedral shows a clear influence of French models. Here you can clearly see the features of the sculpture of the cathedrals of Northern France - Reims, Chartres and Amiens. As a result of numerous wars that raged on the territory of Europe and destroyed its treasures, as well as because of the fragile, crumbling structure of sandstone, many sculptures fell into disrepair and were transferred to nearby museums. In terms of artistic merit, Strasbourg sculpture does not reach the level of northern French masterpieces, but the diversity and purity of style put it on a par with the best examples of this genre.

The most famous are such interior sculptural groups as the Vices and Virtues and the Wise and Foolish Virgins, in which an attempt was made to unite several figures in a plot and composition and convey internal expression in them.

Also very interesting are the statues on the southern facade of the cathedral: the triumphant "Church" and the defeated "Synagogue" (c. 1235). They are one of the most illustrative examples of allegorical images that have acquired human features and forms, which is characteristic of Gothic art, in contrast to the Romanesque style that preceded it.

Placed along the outer edges of the two-arched portal, they are far apart from each other, and the relationship between them is built on the principle of long-range semantic action. With sufficient reason it can be argued that the Gothic monumental sculpture hardly has images equal to the Strasbourg statues in the harmonious elegance of slender elongated figures, beautifully outlined by transparent flowing folds of robes, an effect enhanced by the pinkish tone of the local stone. Their peculiarity is the emotional fullness of the images, conveyed not so much in action and in the direct expression of feelings (although there are signs of both), but in the use of the poetic atmosphere for this, which surrounds one of the characters - the Synagogue. This special halo distinguishes the creation of the Strasbourg master from a number of outstanding monuments of Gothic sculpture of the same time.

In both statues, the attributes used are clearly contrasted: from the side of the Church - the crown (a symbol of her power), the cross and the cup of the blood of Christ, from the side of the Synagogue - the blindfold covering her eyes - a sign of her spiritual blindness, the broken spear - a symbol of the defeat of her doctrine and slipping out of her hand Tablets of the Covenant.

Zhanna Mindubaeva, InFrance

List of used literature:
E.I. Rotenberg, The Art of the Gothic Era. The system of art forms", Publishing House"Art", Moscow, 2001
Russian Gothic Page, Bruno Klein's article "The Origin and Development of Gothic Architecture in France and neighboring countries»
Elisabeth Kruis, Bo Riffenburg Atlas of the Wonders of the World. Cathedrals of the World”, JSC “Bertelsman Media Moscow”, Moscow, 1998
Karl Wurman "History of Art of all times and peoples. European art of the Middle Ages" volume II, AST, Moscow, 2001
Nelly Mauchamp La France de toujours. Civilisation”, CLE INTERNATIONAL, Paris, 1987