Sierentz County - Kembs

Practical:
Town hall of Kembs    
56, rue du Mal Foch
68680 Kembs
Phone: 03.89.48.37.08 
Fax: 03.89.43.37.79
email: mairie.kembs@wanadoo.fr
Opening hours of the secretariat:  
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
from 10:00 to 12:00
from 10:00 to 12:00 and from 14:00 to 18:00
from 10:00 to 12:00 and from 14:00 to 18:00
from 10:00 to 12:00 and from 14:00 to 18:00
from 10:00 to 12:00 and from 14:00 to 17:00
Maire: Gérard Kielwasser
(tél 03.89.48.45.75)
Salle Polyvalente: 03.89.48.39.56
Atelier Municipal: 03.89.48.44.57

History

The significant Roman station of Cambete, mentioned in the route of Antonin and on Peutinger'smap of the 4th century AC, gave its name to the village of Kembs.

It was the crossing point of the Rhine for a military way, which became thereafter a commercial road. Since 1986, archaeological excavations have revealed a domus, significant private building of 1st and 2nd centuries as well as a crossroad of two Roman ways.

Old landmark of Kembs
Old landmark of Kembs

Kembs - Vue du village

Post

In addition to many half-timbered houses, one can see in Kembs, opposite the gendarmerie, with number 53 rue du Maréchal Foch, the old relay of the royal Post offices. 

Church

A little further, is the church Saint Jean-Baptiste, rebuilt and increased in 1784, on plans of François-Antoine Zeller from Landser. Listed in 1161, it was used as church-mother in Neuweg and Niffer until the beginning of 19th century. The presbytery is from the 18th century.

Kembs - L'église et le presbytère
Kembs - Ecluse

Channel

Here is the junction between the Rhine-Rhone Channel and the Large Channel of Alsace, by means of a lock of 185 meters length and 12 meters broad. Four barges of 2000 tons each one can find place there. The administrative buildings from 1960 are due to the famous architect Corbusier which amongst other things carried out the chapel Our Lady of Ronchamp in Haute-Saône.

Level of Kembs
Little after having crossed the bridge on the channel of Huningue, one sees being profiled, at the end of a straight line, the buildings of the hydro-electric factory of Kembs.
Built between 1928 and 1932, it was the first of the 10 levels established on the Rhine in Alsace and located at the head o
Kembs - Usine hydro-électriquef the Large channel of Alsace. The six turbines, which output 1400 m3 of water at the second, produce an annual average of 938 million kwh.
After having crossed the bridge to reach left bank of the barrage, one sees a wheel of a turbine. In service on group 6 until 1981, this wheel has produced more than 6 billion kWh.
One arrives then at the locks on the Large channel of Alsace. They make it possible for boats of all sizes to continue their trip towards Switzerland or the North Sea after a passage of less than one half an hour in one of these immense hoppers. The rather intense traffic makes it possible to observe the various operations regulated to perfection.
 
The Rhine island.
A heronry extends there and, on the poplars, a dormitory gathers 200 large cormorants in winter period. Other side of the island, runs the old Rhine dammed up at the last century.
Kembs - l'Ile du Rhin
   KEMBS-LOECHLE
Attached in 1830 to the commune of Kembs, this appendix has a church finished in 1964..

Visit the official site on Kembs:

Sierentz County - the villages