Soultz-the-baths

Geography

Soultz-the-baths is located at 4 km in the north of Molsheim to the foot of the under-Vosgean hills . Wedged in a bottleneck between Jesselberg (363 m) in south-west and Sulzberg (293 m) in the North-East, the Mossig sprinkles the commune before being thrown in the Bruche in the south of the village.

Crossed by the RD 422 connecting Molsheim to Marlenheim, which forms the wine trail and gives access, beyond Molsheim, with the A352 by the exchanger of Dorlisheim. The common one also serves Dangolsheim by the RD 275 and Wolxheim (to Strasbourg) by the RD 45.

Soultz also had a stop on the Molsheim-Saverne railway line (closed in 1965). This connection is currently served by bus.

The village disappeared from Biblenheim ((Bubilenheim at the 9th century meaning the dwelling of subterranean water) was located at the North-East of Soultz. There remains currently the hamlet of Biblenhof. The communes bordering are Scharrachbergheim-Irmstett in north, Dahlenheim in the North-East, Wolxheim in the east, Avolsheim in south-east, Dangolsheim and Bergbieten in the west.

History

The name of Soultz, derived from Saltz (Salt in German), is related on the medicinal spring and the adjacent baths. Tombs Mérovingiens are exhumed during the construction of the railway line Molsheim - Saverne in 1864. The denomination of the village, through the Charter S and inventories of goods, varies Sulcia (737) with Sulze (12th century) or Sulcen . As from this time, the name of Soultz appears.

Belonging in Joint possession to the emperor and the bishop of Strasbourg to the 12th century; with 15th, the village becomes a episcopal baillage of Dachstein. Set fire to by the Of Strasbourg one in 1262 at the time of the war of the bishops, then in 1444 and 1622 at the time of the War Thirty Year old.

Fortifications, dismantled in 1333, left a trace in local toponymy (Biblentor, Molsheimertor,…) ; tor means German door. The conformation of the old frame accredits a strengthened locality in a summary way. The commune is joined together in Biblenheim (Biblenhof on topographic charts IGN) since 1556.

In 1682, Vauban put in exploitation three careers close to Soultz to build the citadel of Strasbourg and that of Extremely-Louis. In order to convey the stones, it made build the channel of the Bruche in the south of the village. This transportation route transformed a Soultz time into center of supply of various material Strasbourg (stone, wood,…).

Locality with dominant catholic, Soultz-the-Baths counted since the 15th century a well structured Jewish community.

The inhabitants are called Trapphinle (bustards).

Baths of Soultz

Probably older, the baths of Soultz are evoked only starting from 1484. Although located on the communal round of applause of Wolxheim, they gave its name to Soultz.

A source dedicated to Amand saint, first bishop of Strasbourg at the 4th century as two vaults evokes a bond between the religious character and the baths. Pagan worships and miraculous cures are evoked by a doctor of Strasbourg Mechior Sebitzius in 1647. The peasants bathed 24 hours lasting in the source in the hope to be saved by the disease lasting the year to come. In 1726, J. Schurer in Disertio inaugularis of balneo Sulzensis announces Ex-voto S, testimonys of miraculous cures of arthritic problems .

As from the 16th century, scientists and doctors are interested in the healing virtues of the water recommended for the treatment of the renal calculi, the cutaneous diseases, the rheumatic and syphilitic affections, the neuralgias. Water is classified among water saltworks (NaCl), iodized and bromurées.

Baths being accompanied by various distractions (casino, dance,…), they attracted the opprobrium of the clergy which saw there only one “den of iniquity” and a “den of vice”. A fire, on November 11th, 1913 destroyed most of the installations and put a provisional term at hydrotherapy with Soultz.

During the 20th century, some attempts to start again the exploitation of the source (bottled water sale under the mark Saint-Amand , publicities praising its content of Radium) show failures. A second well is dug on the round of applause of Soultz, but without the economic dynamism not being with go.

Currently, the Sulzbad , an establishment of Cure and back in shape tries, since 1999, to make perdurer the thermal vocation of the commune.

Careers of Soultz

Dug in the south-western side of Silberberg, on left bank of Mossig, the royal career ( Königsgrube ) watch still today a coal face of a score of meters in height. Composed of sandstone to voltzia and sandstone dating from the Muschelkalk, the career sees ceased its exploitation during the 19th century. It was the subject of thorough geological investigations and harvests of many fossil plants by Philippe-Louis Voltz, Guillaume Philippe Schimper and Mougeot.

Administration

Demography

provisional population for 2004: 791

Places and monuments

Saint-Maurice church: altered in the middle of the 19th century (nave and chorus), the oldest part is the first stage of the turn-chorus of the 12th century. Organ of Silbermann
royal careers (sandstone).
firm of Biblenhof: built at the 18th century, the buildings belonged to the Œuvre Notre-Dame of Strasbourg (of which the single mission is to manage the cathedral) until 1971.
mill " Kollenmuhle" (16th-19th centuries), of the name of a former miller (Koll family) having exploited the mill. (cf: BMS Soultz-the-Baths, Company of History of Mutzig and Environs, 2007).
old lime kiln

Gallery photographs

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