Basilique Notre-Dame de Thierenbach

Jungholtz

Away from the roads, at the foot of the hills climbing towards the Grand Ballon, the onion-domed bell tower of Thierenbach signals from afar one of the oldest Marian pilgrimages in Alsace. Tradition traces its origins to around 730, when Benedictine monks from Murbach settled near a spring reputed to be miraculous; a hermitage and then a chapel welcomed those who came to pray there from very early on. In 1126, the cure held to be miraculous of a young nobleman of Soultz, suffering from an incurable illness, gave the place new lustre: from 1130, Peter the Venerable, the great abbot of Cluny, founded a Benedictine priory here that lived on until the Revolution. Ravaged by the Thirty Years' War, the sanctuary was rebuilt between 1710 and 1723 by the architect Peter Thumb, a master of the Austrian Baroque, and consecrated in 1723; Pope Pius XI raised it to the rank of minor basilica in the mid-1930s. Venerated here is the Virgin of the Afflicted, a Pietà to which generations of pilgrims have climbed — and their gratitude literally lines the walls: some 850 ex-votos, including 370 painted pictures, the oldest dated 1680, tell of illnesses cured, accidents averted, soldiers returned safe and sound. It is one of the richest collections of ex-votos in France, a moving popular gallery of thanksgiving. All around, orchards and vineyards complete a peaceful halt between Guebwiller and the wine route.

Getting there : 1 rue de Thierenbach, 68500 Jungholtz, away from the village; from Guebwiller or Cernay by the D5 then the D83, free car park. Generally open from 8 am to 6 pm; bus 440/444 to Soultz then 30 minutes on foot. Coordinates: approach point, immediate surroundings of the sanctuary (GPS sources differ).

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound