Timeline

Origin and history

The Langenstein is an iconic menhir located in Soultzmatt, in the department of Upper Rhine (Great East region). Located in the communal forest, near Grosser Pfingstberg and the Romanian military cemetery, this monument stands out for its imposing size: a stone erected in pebbly pink sandstone (pudding) reaching about 4 meters high. Its authenticity, although sometimes contested, makes it a rare testimony of megalithic constructions in Alsace.

Dated by some sources from 560 BC, the Langenstein was rearranged and enhanced in 1906, marking a key step in its preservation. Filed under the title of historical monuments by order of 18 July 1938, it now belongs to the commune of Soultzmatt. The stone, due to its geological composition and isolation in a wooded environment, raises questions about its exact origin and its initial function, typical of menhirs whose ritual or commemorative uses often remain hypothetical.

The site, accessible from the Gauchmatt, offers both historical and landscape interest. Close to the Romanian cemetery of the First World War, it illustrates the superposition of eras and memories on the same territory. The approximate location of the monument (estimated at 5/10 according to available data) and its lack of detailed archaeological context fuel the debates among the experts of Alsatian megalithism.

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