Travel Guide Turckheim

Turckheim is an essential gateway to the Vosges mountains via the Munster valley. With a population of 3,850, this medieval town has nothing to envy Kaysersberg or Éguisheim, 2 other not-to-be-missed stops on the Alsace Wine Route. Its three gates (du Brand, de Munster and de France) and ramparts bear witness to its former status as a free town granted in 1312: Turckheim was part of the Decapole, an alliance of ten Alsatian towns forming a league founded in 1354 and dissolved in 1679. Inside the ramparts, the superbly restored houses illustrate some of Alsace's most typical architectural features. Turckheim has also been famous for centuries for its wines, thanks in particular to the Brand vineyard, one of Alsace's 51 Grands Crus. Legend has it that a dragon emerged from the sea (which then occupied the Alsace plain) and fell asleep at the top of the Brand hill. The heat was so intense that its scales melted and the dragon bled to death. The blood then spread down the side of the Brand and penetrated the earth. The ancients claim that the dragon's blood fertilized the earth for a long time, giving rise to wines of exceptional purity. A stroll along the wine trail that crosses the Brand allows you to appreciate the architectural uniqueness of the commune, as well as the magnificent panorama that embraces the entrance to the Munster valley, the Hohlandsbourg castle and the vineyards at the mouth of the valley. Visit Turckheim's wine cellar, one of the best in Alsace!