Eichsel

On the Dinkelberg hill, the characteristic tower of the St. Gallus church in Rheinfelden-Eichsel can be seen from afar. On the third Sunday in July, the village becomes the centre of the old traditional festival, the “Eichsler Umgang” to honour the three virgins, Wibrandis, Kunigundis and Mechtundis. After a solemn worship service, the relic shrines of the holy women are carried through the village in a procession. Afterwards, the village festival starts. According to a legend, the three virgins belonged to the followers of Saint Ursula, who went on a pilgrimage together with her court ladies from England to Rome in the 5th century. After their return, the women were attacked by Huns in Cologne and died as martyrs. Kunigundis, Mechtundis and Wibrandis had interrupted the journey before reaching Basel because of sickness and had come near Rapperswyhr (Adelhausen) to the Dinkelberg hill. At their grave at the Eichsel church, endless miracles are supposed to have happened. A veneration of the saints developed, the legitimacy of which was confirmed by the Catholic church in 1504.