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the spring equinox
Ballon d'Alsace

At the spring equinox, if we observe it from the Ballon d’Alsace, the sun rises behind the Black Forest Belchen 70 km away

Anfang Mai / Beltene
Ballon d'Alsace
About 40 days after the spring equinox, beginning of the Celtic summer half-year, the sun rises in the east-northeast behind the summit of the Grand Ballon.
21.6 summer solstice
Ballon d'Alsace

At the summer solstice, the sun rises in the northeast above the Markstein, in the direction of the Petit Ballon

Anfang August / Lugnasad
Ballon d'Alsace
About 40 days after the summer solstice, the sun rises in the east-northeast, behind the summit of the Grand Ballon.
22.9. the autumn equinox
Ballon d'Alsace

At the autumnal equinox, if we observe it from the Ballon d’Alsace, the sun rises behind the summit of Schwarzwaldbelchen 70 km away.

Anfang November / Samhain
Ballon d'Alsace

About 40 days after the autumn equinox, beginning of the Celtic winter half-year. The three Celtic settlements Britzgyberg, Basel-Gasfabrik and Augusta Raurica are on the line of the sunrise.

21.12. Winter solstice
Ballon d'Alsace

The sun rises in the southeast behind the Tödi in the Glarus Alps, in between lies the Jura Belchen

Anfang Februar / Imbolc
Ballon d'Alsace
About 40 days after the winter solstice, middle of the Celtic winter half-year. The sun rises in east-southeast. The three Celtic settlements Britzgyberg, Basel-Gasfabrik and Augusta Raurica are on the line of the sunrise.

Wentzwiller

The tomb of the three blessed virgins in the glade

The tomb of the three blessed virgins in the glade

In the centre of Wentzwiller, a sweet little village not far from Folgensbourg, there’s a signpost “Aux trois vierges” (to the Three Virgins). It leads to an idyllic clearing in the forest between Wentzwiller and Hagenthal, where the tomb of the three blessed virgins stands. Very little is known about where the women came from. According to tradition they lived here withdrawn and devoted, carrying out good works, until they were murdered by an unknown assailant. The townspeople of Wentz-willer buried the ladies respectfully in the forest and over time the site became increasingly popular with pilgrims. Help with mobility difficulties and with tooth ache was reported. Amongst the villagers the three young girls are believed to be Einbeth, Wilbeth and Worbeth, companions of St. Ursula. A nineteenth century priest in Wentzwiller wanted to clear up the mystery surrounding the virgins. He opened the tomb and was amazed to actually find three skeletons, which he then re-interred in the cemetery. After the funeral it started to rain incessantly, and it didn’t stop until the bodies of the three hermits were returned to their resting place in the forest.