The best MTB trails around Burgheim

The Maennelstein (Männelstein) is a striking, 817-meter-high Bunter sandstone rock on the southern edge of the Odilienberg (Mont Sainte-Odile) in Alsace. It is considered one of the most beautiful viewpoints in the region and offers a wide panoramic view over the Rhine plain, the Black Forest, and on clear days even as far as the Alps.

This imposing sandstone block is located below the enclosure of the Pagan Wall (Mur Païen), about fifty meters away. Before the expansion of the forest, this rock offered an excellent vantage point (Lauerposten) to monitor the access to Mont Sainte-Odile on the road from Barr. As proof of the importance of this place, the watchstone was connected to the main enclosure by a cross-wall of the same construction as the Pagan Wall. The sandstone blocks were connected to each other by a system of oak dowels and mortises (Mortaises et Tenons).

The Heidenmauer (French: Mur Païen) is a monumental, eleven-kilometer-long fortification from the early Middle Ages that encloses the high plateau of Mont Sainte-Odile in Alsace. The imposing structure has fascinated archaeologists and visitors alike for centuries with its sheer dimension and construction. Around 300,000 irregularly hewn sandstone blocks were piled up without mortar to form a dry-stone wall up to two meters wide. To give the huge blocks stability, the builders connected them with swallowtail-shaped wooden clamps made of oak. This extraordinary technique secured the structure against the shifting of stones on the steep forest terrain. For a long time, the structure was surrounded by great mystery. Due to the name Pope Leo IX gave the wall in the 11th century, its origin was suspected to be prehistoric, Celtic, or Roman times. Modern scientific investigations finally brought clarity: with the help of dendrochronology (tree-ring analysis), the wooden connecting wedges could be precisely dated to the late 7th or early 8th century AD. The wall thus originated in the Merovingian era. To this day, research puzzles over the exact purpose of this gigantic structure. The most likely theory is that the wall served as a mighty refuge for the population in times of political unrest. At the same time, the monumental structure demonstrated the power and prestige of the then Dukes of Alsace, to whose family Saint Odile also belonged. Today, the Heidenmauer is a protected cultural monument and a popular destination for hikers. A well-signposted circular path leads in the shade of the trees directly along the historical remains and connects the ruins with mystical places such as the Druid's Grotto and the monastery on the mountain summit.

Beautiful 👍

Perfect

A very busy and touristy town with many wine bars and restaurants. An excellent place to spend a day.

I found it interesting that the old town was surrounded by a double fortress wall. The inner, 1,400-meter-long ring wall was intended to have approximately 20 towers and four gates. The wide earthen rampart now serves as a walking path.

The Kirchberg area is very nice!