Uhlwiller brings together distinctive cultural and landscape themes for a stay: church architecture and organ history, the Musée du Pain, which traces the journey from field to bread, and a 185-hectare community forest. The Roman bridge and burial mounds add historical interest. You can focus on religious buildings and everyday history, or on the forest’s varied soils and tree species.
Churches and Architectural History
The Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Uhlwiller was rebuilt in the Neo-Gothic style in 1877. A carved stone slab dated 1535 can be seen at the entrance. In 1878, Théodore and Auguste Stiehr built the church organ. These three dates relate to different aspects of the building’s history and furnishings: the older stone relief, the Neo-Gothic reconstruction and the organ added the following year.
The church in Niederaltdorf offers an earlier point of reference: it was rebuilt in 1617, is dedicated to Saint Nicholas and has a distinctive half-timbered bell tower. In comparison, its earlier reconstruction contrasts with the Neo-Gothic rebuilding in Uhlwiller; its dedication and half-timbered tower give the church its own architectural character.
Musée du Pain: From Soil to Bread
The Musée du Pain is housed in two buildings, a former residence and a storage shed. It opened in 1995 around Antoine Grussenmeyer’s historic threshing machine. Its exhibits trace the process from working the land and harvesting grain to making finished bread. Agriculture and processing are therefore part of the subject, as is bread itself. The historic threshing machine provides a tangible focal point for the museum, while the sequence on display broadens the story to encompass production through to bread.
The seasonal visitor information gives the period from 1 April to 1 November, with opening hours from 3 to 6 pm on the first and third Sunday of each month; group and school visits are possible by appointment. Check these times before travelling.
Traces of the Past
The burial mounds of Uhlwiller are considered Celtic remains from before the Roman conquest of Gaul. The Roman bridge, also called “Willerbruck,” is a Roman-era monument on the boundary of the municipal territories of Uhlwiller, Huttendorf and Dauendorf. The two attributions differ in date: the burial mounds are considered pre-Roman, while the bridge is assigned to the Roman period. The bridge is in a field on the edge of Niederaltdorf, 500 metres from the plot known as “Auf der Burgis,” and was restored in 2010.
Community Forest and Landscape
The community forest of Uhlwiller covers 185 hectares. Scots pines grow mainly on sandy soils, while oak, beech and hornbeam are found on clay soils. The link between soil and trees makes the forest more specific than an area figure alone: both its size and the relationship between soil and tree species shape the character of the area. If you prefer landscape themes, this combination offers a clear basis for choosing what to focus on.
Discover more destinations: Breuschwickersheim, Westhouse, Gerstheim, Oberschaeffolsheim, Weinbourg, Obernai, Elsenheim, La Petite-Pierre
For the main travel overview: Bas-Rhin.
