Andlau
Encyclopedia
Andlau is a commune
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...

 in the Bas-Rhin
Bas-Rhin
Bas-Rhin is a department of France. The name means "Lower Rhine". It is the more populous and densely populated of the two departments of the Alsace region, with 1,079,013 inhabitants in 2006.- History :...

 department in Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...

 in north-eastern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

.

The village owes its origin to Andlau Abbey
Andlau Abbey
Andlau Abbey was a women's collegiate foundation for secular canonesses located at Andlau in Alsace, eastern France.-History:...

 which was founded in AD 880 by Richardis
Richardis
Saint Richardis, also known as Richgard and Richardis of Swabia , was the Holy Roman Empress as the wife of Charles the Fat. She was renowned for her piety.-Life:...

, the Empress of Charles the Fat
Charles the Fat
Charles the Fat was the King of Alemannia from 876, King of Italy from 879, western Emperor from 881, King of East Francia from 882, and King of West Francia from 884. In 887, he was deposed in East Francia, Lotharingia, and possibly Italy, where the records are not clear...

. Andlau has been a wine growing center and traveler destination since its earliest days.

Sights

Andlau is famous for its former collegiate church, now parish church, Saints-Pierre-et-Paul. The originally 11th and twelfth century church, which was largely rebuilt in the 17th century, still displays numerous remains of Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...

 and sculpture.

Two castles are found in the immediate vicinity. The Château d'Andlau
Château d'Andlau
The Château d'Andlau is a medieval castle in the commune of Andlau, in the Bas-Rhin département of France.- History :Constructed on a narrow granite outcrop at an altitude of 451 m , the Haut-Andlau dominates the valleys of Andlau and Kirneck. The castle was built from granite blocks, very...

 was built in Andlau from 1246 and 1264. The Château de Spesbourg
Château de Spesbourg
The Château de Spesbourg is a castle that dominates the valley above the village of Andlau, in the Bas-Rhin département of France.The castle was constructed between 1246 and 1250 by Alexander of Stahleck-Dicka, Vogt to Andlau Abbey. In 1386 it became the property of the family von Andlau...

, located in the hills immediately above Andlau, was built between 1246 and 1250.

See also

  • Communes of the Bas-Rhin department
  • Andlau, a river passing trough the village. See :fr:Andlau (rivière)
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