Soultzmatt: TravelGuide

Soultzmatt was mentioned since 1044 and was part of thepossessions of the bishops from Strasbourg. The village was thecentre of the Talgemeinde which gathered every village in thevalley from the west part of Westhalten. Its name comes probablyfrom the salted source which sprung in a meadow (Sulz... More

Soultzmatt was mentioned since 1044 and was part of the possessions of the bishops from Strasbourg. The village was the centre of the “Talgemeinde” which gathered every village in the valley from the west part of Westhalten. Its name comes probably from the salted source which sprung in a meadow (“Sulz” = salt and “Matte” = meadow). A noble family was named after the village in 1295 and the last member was Frederic from Soultzmatt. Many nobles lived in the valley and many castles were built that's why the valley was named “Vallis Praenobilis”, the Noble Valley. The wealth from Soultzmatt brought covetousness from the enemies and the village was pillaged many times. At the beginning of the 19th century, a spinning mill and a cloth mill set up in Soultzmatt and more than 670 people worked there in 1900. Less