alsace

Alsace

By Janelle Bouman

Geography/Climate

• Cold winters and warm, dry summers

• Little precipitation - ideal for growing grapes

• Between Les Vosges and the Rhine - right on the border of Germany

• Northeast corner of France

Vineyards

Mountains

Small towns

History

• “Alsace” - foreign domain

• Part of the Roman Empire

• Annexed by France in the 1600’s

• Changed hands between France and Germany 4 times in 75 years

• Often mentioned as Alsace-Lorraine

Wine

• Growing grapes is a way of life for the Alsatians.

• More than 38,000 acres of vineyards

German Culture• Blend of cultures, since

Alsace is right on the edge of Germany

• Alsatian - local dialect• Most people speak

French, German, and English

• Mix of German and French names and foods

• Distinctly German architecture style

German-style Architecture

Strasbourg• Principal city of Alsace• Historically German-speaking• Official seat of European Parliament• Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Strasbourg• Grande Île - city center• France’s national anthem was composed here during the

French Revolution

Colmar

• Considered to be the “Capital of Alsatian Wine”

• Home of sculptor Frederic Bartholdi, who designed the Statue of Liberty

• Musee Unterlinden - Isenheim altar piece

• Petite Venice

Kaysersberg

• One of the most beautiful cities on the wine route

• Part of Germany until WWI

• Fortress ruins overlooking the town

• One of the most famous castles in Alsace• Rule passed between various royal families in

Alsace, until the castle was abandoned after the 30 year’s war.

• Restored by a German

emperor in 1900• Rooms reconstructed

to show how the castle

existed during the

middle ages

Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg

Storks• The region is

famous for its large number of white storks

• Children’s stories originated here

• Build nests on the pointed roofs of buildings

Food specialties• Wine and beer

• Quiche

• Sauerkraut and bratwurst

• Bread, pastries

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