The toll of " Ferrette " is at the origin of Thann.
Indeed, the opening of the Saint Gothard's pass towards 1220 made of the road of Bussang's pass one of the " East - West " ways of the international trade.
The counts of " Ferrette ", collecting " Vieux-Thann's toll ", transferred to the current site of the city and built Thann's new castle for the protection of the toll which will be called henceforth " Engelsbourg ", at the feet of which will be born an agglomeration known already in 1225 as " Thann's new suburb ".
This agglomeration, boosted by the commercial activity, will grow and will be fortified towards 1290.
" Vieux-Thann " the former village remained a village, however still remained the seat of the parish till the end of the 14-th century.
The city of Thann and its castle called " Engelsbourg " or " castle Holy Angel " were the favoured place of residence of the counts of " Ferrette ", and after them of their heirs, the " Habsbourg ".
The bishop Saint Theobald, in French " Thibaut " is the patron of the church and the pilgrimage.
Actually, the true Holy Thibaut was a bishop, and not as the legend says the hermit, originally count of Champagne, often confused with the bishop Saint Ubald of Gubbio, in Umbria, whose nephew married a countess of Ferrette, this explaining why his cult propagated in Alsace.
The count of Ferrette attracted by three flames, which danced above the forest where the miracle had occurred (origin of the holiday of the cremation of three spruces, apparently commemorated since about 1446's), he promised to build a chapel.
Started towards 1320 as church of pilgrimage, the Church Holy Thibaut became parochial in 1389, then Collegiate Church in 1441.
If the saint is not doubtful and the transfer of its relic to Thann a legend, the pilgrimage is also very real and knew an international frequentation which ensured the development of the city and without which the financing of the magnificent collegiate church would not have been possible.
The Swedes and the Imperial occupied alternately Thann during the Thirty years war.
In 1648 the city, with all and like any of the " Habsbourg's " properties in Alsace, passed to France. King Louis XIV then gave Thann to Mazarin in 1659. In 1673, King Louis XIV gave order to demolish the castle.
During the demolition, the round donjon broke itself in several sections among which one lays its edge and is since called " Haxenoïg " or ' " Witch's eye ".
Thann took widely advantage of the industrial revolution at the beginning of 19-th century to become an important economic regional centre. Annexed as the rest of Alsace by Germany in 1870, the city is won back by the French army in 1914. Considering its closeness to the front it was victim of bombardments. The Collegiate Church suffered very much during the relentless fighting of both World Wars.

A village such as Thann, a passage on the " East - West " axis has naturally a rich past, as numerous witnesses of the past give evidence of it. The ruins of Engelsbourg's castle dating the 13th century with its " Witch's Eye ", section of round tower. The rest of the fortifications the " Storks' tower " of the 14th century, the " Witches' tower " of the 16th century.
The former " Halle aux blés "or " Corn Exchange " of the 16th century, shelters the museum today.
The City hall built by " Kléber " at the end of the 18th century.
The fountain of the Wine growers and the " Saint Thiébaut's Fountain " of Renaissance style. The old houses to be seen: at number 17, rue Curiale, at number 1, at number 28 and at number 50, rue de la 1ère Armée, at number 4a, rue Saint Thiébaut : the house to the Bear of 1598, the doors of 2 and 4 " rue du Temple ".
A stele wearing the proclamation of General Joffre in 1914.
The church Saint Thiébaut, former Collegiate Church of 14th to the 17th century, built on the site of the primitive chapel, with its big western portal of 1420 with its 3 tympans illustrating in their centre the life of the Virgin, dating from the 14th century to the left and to the right the birth and the death Christus dated of the 15th century; the northern portal dating from the middle of the 15th century, with in the pier glass the Virgin between Saint Jean and Saint Thiébaut dating 1456; the square tower with octagonal openwork arrow of the 15th century, finished in 1516 by Remigius Faesch; the nave with vaults studs with the low northern side of the 15th century; the pulpit of stone 1629 with wooden sound shade of the 17th century; the chapel of the Virgin completed in 1632 with statue of the Virgin dating from the end of the 15th century, also called " Virgin of the Wine growers "; the Saint Thiébaut's chapel with a statue of the saint dating from the beginning of the 16th century; the stalls of the 15th century, the statues of the Twelve Apostles dating also from the 15th century; the stained glasses of the 15th century also, the baptismal fonts of the 15th as well, the murals of the 15th and 16th centuries.

Altitude 340 m. 7760 inhabitants. Flower decked town *** 2003.
Pictural tourist centre. On the "Route Romane d'Alsace".
Network of paths marked out by the Club Vosgien.
Poplar near the " Witches' tower ", as well as a poplar rue des Bangards.
Valley of the Thur river.
Magnificent forests. Forestry development.
Vineyard: Route des Vins d'Alsace, famous vineyard of " Rangen ".
Beekeeping, horticulture, agricultural cooperative.
Chemical Industry .

Celebration of the "Cremation of Spruces" on the last Saturday of June.
Horse riding.
Industrial art, potter, woodcarver.
Club Vosgien.
Museum of Thann's Friends : museum of art and local history with sculptures of 14th to the 18th centuries.

Guided Visit of the Saint Thiebaut Church : please, contact the Tourist Office.
Guided Visit of the Old Town : every Wednesday in July and August . Takes 3 hours ; please, contact the Tourist Office.
Tourist Information Office. Phone : + 33 3 89 37 96 20 - Fax : + 33 3 89 37 04 58. E-mail : office-de-tourisme.thann@wanadoo.fr


Christmas and Year-end festivities :
Please see http://www.alsace-noel.com