Monswiller: Churches, Industrial History and Routes

Monswiller combines cultural and historical themes with several routes. The local history is reflected in the Church of Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption, the Protestant church and the industrial history around the Zornhoff. When planning your routes, you can choose between a marked walking trail to Ottersthal and the Monswiller–Steinbourg loop. If you are looking for a hotel, you can plan your stay around culture and your intended routes.

Churches and their distinctive features

The Church of Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption houses 86 ex-votos dating from 1795 to 1825. These votive offerings give the church a specific historical connection: their number and dates indicate both the size of the collection and the period it covers. Alongside the buildings themselves, they provide another cultural and historical point of interest in the local history.

The organ in the same church was built by George Wegmann in 1842 and extended by Martin Rinckenbach in 1895. It was listed as a protected monument on 13 September 2000. The two dates clearly distinguish its original construction from its later extension.

The Protestant church is a Neo-Gothic building. It was constructed in 1878 and inaugurated in 1879 at the initiative of Alfred Goldenberg. It bears witness to the era of Protestant industrialist families around Goldenberg. The two churches have distinct features: the Protestant church is notable for its architectural style and year of inauguration, while Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption is distinguished by its ex-votos and its organ, including its construction and later extension.

Industrial history around the Zornhoff

The “Le Zornhoff au temps des Goldenberg” route begins at the car park of the Salle du Zornhoff in Monswiller. It explores preserved industrial buildings from different periods, rows of workers’ houses and the owners’ villa overlooking the site. These buildings—industrial premises, workers’ houses and a villa—give the route its focus on industrial history.

Routes for planning your walks

The marked walking trail starts at Monswiller town hall, leads to Ottersthal and forms a circular route with several variations through meadows, neighboring villages and forests. Its destination, circular route and landscape features are all part of its route description.

The Monswiller–Steinbourg loop is 7 kilometers long and takes about two hours. It starts at the Zornhoff car park and follows the canal; along the way, it offers a peaceful opportunity to watch the locks. Allow about two hours for this loop. Check the car park conditions before setting off, as parking regulations can change.

When planning your day, it is helpful to note the difference: the loop offers a defined framework of seven kilometers and about two hours, while the Ottersthal circular route features several variations and a trail through meadows, villages and forests. This lets you compare the routes based on whether an approximate time frame or the landscapes described is more important to you.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Cosswiller, Salenthal, Châtenois, Gœrsdorf, Dossenheim-Sur-Zinsel, Sand, Ichtratzheim, Surbourg

Go to the main travel overview: Bas-Rhin.