Odilienberg, near the Waldersbach, the scene of Oberlin's labours. Odilienberg is a favourite pilgrim's chapel, founded by St. Odile, daughter of a duke of Alsace, on a height which commands a view almost to Basle. There are several fine ruins about it, as the Castles of Rathsamhausen, Landsberg, and Andlau, and Truttenhausen convent. Matzenheim (Station)—3 miles-on the Ill. Benfeld (Station)—-2 miles—also on the Ill, in the centre of the tobacco cultivation, and a small place of 3,000 souls, as old as the seventh century, but dismantled after the treaty of Münster. Coach to Barr (11 kil. west-north-west), a Protestant town of 4,600 population, in a delightful hollow, under the Kirchberg, Hohenburg, Monkalb, and other heights. The old castle is replaced by a Town Hall, built 1640. Woollen mittens and socks are made. Andlau (south-west of Barr) among vine-covered hills, is another pretty spot, near Hohen-Andlau Castle, a conspicuous ruin, on a hill, once the seat of a very old Alsatian family. Here was an abbey, founded by the wife of the Emperor Charles the Fat. Giessen passes by on the north, from the Vosges mountains, which are in view. Manufactures of pottery (enamelled pottery was invented here in the twelfth century), metallic gauze, iron and copper, &c., are carried on. Hotels: Adler; Bock; Goldnes Lamm. [Branch rail to Markirch or St. Marie-auxMines (Station), once noted for its silver works; thence to St. Dié, Epinal, Nancy, &c. Orschwiller (6 kil. west north-west), is in the neighbourhood of the Ramstein and Ortenberg towers, of Kirtzheim and its Castle, and under the fine old Castle of Hohen Königsburg, which the Swedes destroyed after they took this town, in the Thirty Years' War, 1632. It was built by the Frankish kings, and became an imperial fief, being held by knights, who were half robbers and half tyrants.] St. Pilt (Station)-3 miles-is the nearest station for Königsburg castle, and also Frankenburg, another picturesque ruin, burnt 1582. It belonged to the bishops of Strassburg. Kogenheim (Station)-3 miles-on the Ill. vineyards, under the heights covered by the old "Heim," in these names is literally "home." Ebersheim (Station)—2 miles-has a buffet, and a conveyance to Dambach, near Bernstein castle. Towards the Rhine are the three slender towers of Ebermünster church, whose abbey was founded in the seventh century. It has some very old frescoes and wood carving. Schlettstadt (Station)-4 miles-on the Ill, a town of 9,800 population, and an old free city of the Empire, called Electus, by the Romans; rebuilt 1216, taken by Louis XIV., 1673, and fortified by Vauban. It capitulated to the Germans 24th October, 1870. The chief buildings are St. George's Gothic Church of the fourteenth century, with a square tower, 187 feet high; the Recollets' church; public library, with some early printed books; the college at the old commandery of Malta, near the Round Church of St. Foi, built 1094, by a crusader, on the plan of the Holy Sepulchre; the arsenal; the old fausse porte or belfry tower, in the Gothic style; new corn market and tobacco factory. Martin Bucer (or Kulborn), was a native. The Castles of Rappoltstein, Girsberg, and St. Ulrich. St. Gregoire's church has several ancient tombs; the Town Hall is good. Population, 6,000. In the neighbourhood are remains of the chapel, Notre Dame of Dusenbach, and a famous cyclopean wall (on the sides of the Vosges), called the Heidenmauer, or Heathen's wall. The vast blocks of which it was composed are traced for 5 or 6 miles. Near Baroche, to the south, is Hohenach Castle, the tower of which commands one of the most beautiful views in this interesting country. [At 18 kil. east-south-east, is Marcholsheim, near the Rhine, with bleachground and tobacco factories. Population, 2,600.] Ostheim (Station), 2 miles. Population, 1,700. [At REICHENWEIER (7 miles west), among vineyards, on the Sempach, is the old castle of Reichenstein, dismantled 1209. A little south of it, on the Weiss, is the old imperial Castle of Kaisersberg, built in the thirteenth century, by Fredk. Barbarossa, whose statue is in the village. The ruins of Alspach Abbey are near this; and higher up th stream are the fine ruins of Hohenlandsberg, and Plixburg.] Bennweier (Station), 24 miles. Coaches to Tigolsheim, Kintzheim, Kaisersberg, Orbey, La Poutroye. Orbey is under a mountain, on which are the White and Black Lakes; each about 3 miles in circuit. White Lake, shut in by granite walls, is the source of the Weiss. Hereabouts is the highest part of the Vosges chain. At 24 miles further is COLMAR (Station). A buffet. 39 miles from Strassburg; 46} from In the neighbourhood, are the large factories of MM. Hauseman, Hersog, &c. At Munster (Station,) 11 m. by rail to the west-south-west), in the busy valley of that name, is Hartmann's large cotton factory, near the castle of Schwarzenburg. Generals Rapp, and Rewbel, who was one of the Directory, were natives of Münster. Münster had an abbey, the last head of which embraced Protestantism, in 1536. In this quarter are Winzenheim, under Hohenlandsberg Castle; and Türkheim, once an imperial fief, now noted for its red wines. Here Turenne gained a victory over the Imperialists, 1675, with the assistance of English troops, lent Hotels: Des Deux Clefs; Schwarzes Lamm; by Charles II. Von Briesen. Colmar has large manufactures of cotton, linens, &c. Conveyances by branch rails to Münster (as above) to Breisach, thence to Freiburg and the Black Forest, &c. A road and rail lead down to a disused custom-house and ferry on the Rhine near Fort Mortier, and the citadel of Neu Breisach, built by Vauban on the Rhine canal, and taken by the Germans 10th November, 1870. Population, 26,100. Chief town of late depart-ribbons, powder, &c.; and a trade in wine, grain, ment Haut-Rhin, in a fine plain half-way between the Vosges and the river Rhine, or the river Lauch, 1 mile from the Ill. It is not far from the site of the Roman Argentovaria; it was an imperial free city, given up to France by the treaty of Westphalia, 1648, when the fortifications were razed; and is now re-annexed to Germany. There are three gates, many narrow streets and old houses; good walks on the Champ de Mars, where a Fountain was erected, 1857, to Admiral Bruat, and the cemetery of Horburg (2 kil. off). It is watered by the branches of the river and the canals of the Fecht. The Minster, built 1363, is a large Gothic building with a tower about 300 (?) feet high, and an altar-piece on wood, by Schöngauer. Its tower commands a view of above 800 places in Alsace and Baden, &c. The Jesuit church was built, 1750; the fine nave of the Dominican church contains a Museum of Pictures, with the Monument of Schongauer, the artist; the Library contains 40,000 vols., besides rare MSS.,; the old Protestant church is a store-house. Other objects of notice are the ancient Town House, now the Governor's house, in which is to be seen the head (as well as the sword which cut it off) of Hagenbach, Charles the Bold's governor, who figures in "Anne of Geierstein;" the Hospital; Monument to Marshal Rapp; the vast Prison; large cavalry Barracks; and public slaughter-house. From Colmar, on the way to Bâle, you pass Egisheim (Station)-5 miles-which has a strong six-sided tower left of an ancient Castle, the birth-place of Leo IX. Population, 2,130. Here also are the Drei Exen, or three towers of another Castle which belonged to the imperial house. Herlisheim (Station), 1 mile. A modern château on the site of the old castle-once a nest of robbers. The ancient church of Geberschweier is seen beyond this station. It has a Norman tower with pent-house roof. Rufach (Station)-4 miles (Bär) — on the Lauch, with an old Gothic church and remains of Isenbourg castle, a seat of the Merovingian kings. Marshal Lefebvre was born here. At Judenfeld, many Jews were executed; and they say that no Jew will live there to this day. Population, 3,630. Coach to Soultzmatt. Merxheim (Station)-3 miles-to the southwest of which is the Gebweiler Belchen or Ballon de Gebweiler, the highest of the Vosges range (4,700 feet above the level of the sea). Bollweiler (Station)-44 miles-in a wine district. Coach to SULTZ (population, 4,000, and a handsome spire church), and Branch Rail to Gebweiler, another spinning place, which has (near some abbey ruins) a fine Norman church with three spires. Here the ascent to the Ballon may be made (the view takes in part of Switzerland), descending to the interesting valley of St. Amarin (in which are a castle, a large factory for cotton prints, &c.), and to a way to Thann. Wittelsheim (Station), 8 miles. Lutterbach (Station)-4 miles-where the branch to Thann and Wesserling turns off, as below. Dornach (Station), 1 mile. Here is the large factory of Dollfus & Co. Population, 3,000. MÜLHAUSEN or MULHOUSE, (Station), 69 miles from Strassburg, 304 from Paris (via the new route through Belfort, Troyes, &c.) There is a buffet at the station. Sierentz (Station), 7 miles. Bartenheim (Station), 1 miles. St. Ludwig, or Louis (Station)-5 miles-on the Swiss Frontier, where baggage is searched. [A loop line to Bâle, via Leopoldshöhe, goes past Huningen (Station), on the Rhine; which had, on a rock, one of Vauban's fortresses before 1815, when it was taken by the Austrians. It contains a good church, barracks, and an institution for pisci-culture, worth visiting. Population, 2,000]. At 2 miles further is BASLE (Station), in SWITZERLAND (see Bradshaw's Hand-Book to Switzerland). From Lutterbach, as above, a Branch Rail of 17 miles goes off past Cernay (43 miles), a pretty spot (population, 4,000), near the sterile tract of Ochsenfeld, to Thann (Station)-3 miles-Hotels: Kaiser; Zwei Schüssel. A town of 7,500 cotton printers, &c., on the Thur, at the entrance of St. Amarin's Hotels: Central; Wagner; Nord; de Rome; valley, with remains of Engelburg Castle on a des Etrangers. A town of 69,675 souls, and a great seat of manufactures, such as cotton prints, turkey red, woollens, worsteds, muslins, yarn, silk, steam engines, spinning machines, locomotives, &c. It was an imperial city from 1268 till 1515, when it became a Swiss republic; was joined to France, 1798, and is now annexed to Germany. It stands partly on an island of the Ill, and on the Rhine and Rhône canal, and is generally well built, with some old houses. The new quarter was begun 1828. There are Catholic and Reformed churches, a synagogue; Rathhaus, the oldest of its public buildings; college, hospital: cabinets of natural history, and library at the Société Industrielle; various public walks, a chamber of commerce, and many factories, one of the largest and oldest being that of Köchlin Brothers. Here are many hundred Model Workmen's Dwellings on a good plan, with a garden to each. Railways to Belfort 30 miles, and to Neuenburg and Müllheim 14 miles. [Ottmarsheim (15 kil.), near Müllheim Rail, on the Rhine, has a remarkable Church, eight-sided, and believed to be part of a Lombard Basilica]. Rixheim (Station)-3 miles-which has large manufactures of paper hangings. Population, 2,970. hill. It contains several ancient houses, and St. Thibault's fine Church, with a sculptured west door-way, and a steeple 328 feet high, built 1516. Vin de Rang is produced here. Wesserling (Station), a new town, in an interesting neighbourhood, is 9 miles further. bridge of Pont des Bas Grilles. It was the capital of the Mediomatrici in Roman times (whence comes the present name), and of Austrasie under Clovis. Afterwards it was held sometimes by the French and sometimes by the German Emperors; was annexed to France in spite of a long siege by Charles V., in 1522, and strongly fortified with works by Vauban and Cormontaigne, including the Double Couronne, and Belle Croix (now Steinmetz) Forts, built 1728-31. One of its nine Gates, Porte St. Thiébaut, leads on to the Esplanade, near the Citadel, which is laid out with walks and trees, and commands a fine prospect of the river and country. Here are a barrack and a statue of Ney. In the Franco-German war of 1870-71, Metz made an important figure. The Emperor Napoleon arrived here 28th July, issued a proclamation to his army, and marched to the frontier, where Saarbrück was taken 2nd August, in presence of the Prince Imperial. Mac Mahon being defeated at Weissenburg and Woerth, the French, under Bazaine, retreated towards Metz and Chalons, pursued by the Germans, who obtained two great victories on the 16th August, at Mars-la-Tour, or Vionville, and on 18th, at Gravelotte, or Rezonville, all places within a few miles of Metz. At Rezonville is a cottage where the Emperor slept at the battle, and which was visited by him, 1879. Finding it impossible to cut through the German forces, Bazaine retired into Metz, which was completely invested by 23rd August. At St. Barbe and Noisseville, on 31st August, the French for a time drove the Germans back. On 1st September (the day before Sedan), Bazaine was repulsed in a great sortie; and again on the 7th October. Finally he capitulated on the 27th October, when three marshals (Bazaine, Canrobert, and Leboeuf), with thousands of officers, and 173,000 men (20,000 being sick and wounded) laid down their arms and were transported as prisoners to Germany. The German forces entered the town 31st October; and it is now annexed to the Rhine Provinces by treaty of 1st March, 1871. A semi-circular connecting line of rail was made by the Germans during the investment; and the eight surrounding Forts have been strengthened and multiplied. by as many as seventeen Bridges-as the Pont des Morts, &c., some being very short and old-fashioned, with water-mills upon them. Place Royale, Place de la Comédie, and Place Mazelle, are the best squares. In Rue de la Bibliothèque is the old Church of the Trinity, now the Protestant Temple. Most of the streets are narrow and dirty; the houses are chiefly of stone, two or three storeys high, and some are curiously carved, especially in Place St. Louis. The noble Cathedral, in Place d'Armes, with its flying buttresses, &c., was begun in 1014, by Bishop Thierri, but not finished till 1546. It is pierced with a great number of windows-many beautifully stained, by Busch, 1526. Its length is 398 feet; width of nave 51 feet (of the transepts, 46 feet); the two side chapels of the choir are 53 feet by 50; while the Gothic spire, built in 1427, is about as high as the church is long, 387ft., and contains an immense bell, called La Mutte, weighing about 28,600 lbs. The very old font is called Cuve de César (Cæsar's Tub). Several councils were held here between 590 and 1280. The Churches of St. Vincent and St. Eucharius are of old date, That of St. Martin offers a variety of styles, from the earliest down to that of the sixteenth century. One of the Knights Templars' Round Churches is in the large Arsenal, which contains a stand of arms and a famous bronze culverin, taken at Ehrenbreitstein, 15 feet long, 17 inches wide at the muzzle; it weighs 28,717 lbs., and the shot is 1764 lbs. It was once part of St. Arnold's abbey, and has a military library of 10,000 vols., besides charts, maps, and MS. treatises. The School of Artillery, now a barrack, is a handsome building, completed in 1852. There are also extensive magazines (that for bedding is the Abbey of Clement, built in the sixteenth century by an Italian architect): and a military hospital-the latter an immense building, begun by Louis XV., large enough for 1,800 patients. The Justiz Palast, or Law Court (once the Hôtel de l'Intendance, begun, it is said, by a Duke of Suffolk), is an extensive structure, near the Esplanade and the river. The Museum contains pictures, coins, and antiquities, and the Public Library 30,000 volumes (many of them early printed Several quays line the rivers which are crossed books) besides 800 MSS. The Town House, a simple but good building, was finished 1771, from the designs of Blondel. It has some portraits. Other buildings are the Governor's House, the Mint; the college, and priests' seminary, both large edifices; and theatre. The large covered Market was begun for the archbishop's palace in 1785. Near the Moyen Pont is part of an old tower, close to the Fontaine des Pucelles. For a long time Metz has been one of the chief seats of the Jews, who have had a rabbi and a rabbinical school here. The Romans constructed an amphitheatre and a naumachia (for sea fights) here, but the traces are almost gone. An aqueduct went out to the south-west, of which several arches remain at Jouey (5 miles) on the Moselle, as mentioned above. Among its eminent natives are Marshal Fabert, a noble-minded man, whose statue is on Place d'Armes; Generals Kellerman, Custines, and Lallemand; Bouchette, who was war minister under the Convention; Barbé Marbois, one of Napoleon's ministers; La Vaillant, the naturalist; Raspail, the chemist; and Mademoiselle Tastu, the poetess. Manufactures of leather, cotton, linen, woollencloth, muslin, nails, stained papers, &c.; trade in these, and wines, eau-de-vie, excellent beer and comfitures, drugs, spices, &c. Rail to Verdun and Paris; to Nancy; to Saarburg and Strassburg; to Saarbrück; to Thionville (Diedenhofen), to Luxemburg, and Trèves. Omnibuses to the pretty village of Moulins. In the neighbourhood of Metz are also the rock of RocheRudotte, in the valley of Mance; the Château of Montigny-les-Metz; the cascade on the Digue of Wadrineau; with Gravelotte, &c., as above mentioned. [Etain (40 kil. west-north-west), on the Ornes, in the middle of the fertile plain of Voëvre, which belonged to St. Euchane's Abbey at Trèves, in the seventh century, and was given up to the Duke of Lorraine by the peace of Ryswick, 1697. It has a good Town House. About 18 kil. west-southwest of it is Verdun.] From Metz, on the railway to Forbach and Saarbrück (towards Frankfort) you pass Peltre, which was for a time the head-quarters of the allied powers in 1815, and was ruined 1870. N Courcelles (Station)-8 miles or Courcellesless-Chaussy, on the Nied. Here the Germans won the battle of Pange, 14th August, 1870. Branch of 18 miles to Teterchen. Remilly (Station)-5 miles-has a pinnacled church. Here the line to Saarburg, 40 miles, goes off via Mörchingen and Nebingen. Pass Herny to Falkenberg (Station)- 11 miles-or Falquemont, in French (Falcon's Hill), was once the head of a marquisate. St. Avold (Station)-6 miles-a pretty little place, population 3,600, under the Bliesberg, once a fortified post of Lorraine; with some mineral springs, and cloth manufactures. The line crosses the Rosselle two or three times, and the neighbouring ravines. Beningen (Station)-4 miles. Here the rail from Saargemünd, Hagenau, and Strassburg comes in. Forbach (Station)—5 miles-on the Prussian frontier, with a custom house, and remains of a château fort on Schossberg hill, under which the town is built. Population, 7,200, who make pipes, glass, and hardware. It was occupied by the Germans, 6th August, 1870, after their success at Weissenburg. Rail to Saargemünd, Bitche, Niederbronn, and Hagenau (see page 179). Saargemünd (Station), or Sarreguemines, a town (population, 9,600) on the Saar, where the line from Saarbrück and Saarburg falls in. It was. called Guemonde, and had a Capuchin convent, founded by Duke Leopold, 1621, now turned into a Town House, college, &c. It is noted for tabatières en carton (pasteboard snuff boxes), of which thousands are sold; good pottery is also made. Hotel: De Paris. The glass works of St. Louis are near. The line to Saarburg, 33 miles, proceeds via Saar-Union (Station) and Wolfskirchen (Station). At 9 kil. beyond Forbach is Saarbrücken (Station)-in Prussia-whence there are lines to Mannheim, Heidelberg, Mayence and Frankfort, and to Trèves. Hotels: Rheinhof; Köhl; Korn. Population, 13,600. This place was taken by the French, 2nd August, 1870, in presence of the Emperor and his son, who here received 1 |