description Ensisheim Overview
The Ensisheim meteorite is an LL6 ordinary chondrite that fell in a field near Ensisheim, Alsace, on 7 November 1492. Contemporary accounts recorded the event, and much of the stone was preserved after local people initially removed fragments. King Maximilian, later Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I, treated the fall as an omen, while the surviving mass is displayed in Ensisheim and remains an important artifact in the documented history of meteoritics.
insights Ranking position
Ensisheim ranks #19 of 213 in the Meteorite ranking, behind EETA79001, ahead of Nakhla.
help Ensisheim FAQ
What happened when the Ensisheim meteorite fell in 1492?
A large stone landed near Ensisheim in Alsace on November 7, 1492, reportedly creating a substantial impact hole. Local people quickly broke pieces from it before authorities ordered the remaining mass protected.
Why is Ensisheim called the oldest recorded meteorite fall?
It is the oldest surviving meteorite associated with a precisely dated and extensively documented European fall. Contemporary printed accounts helped preserve the event's date and political interpretation.
Why did Emperor Maximilian I treat Ensisheim as an omen?
Maximilian interpreted the fall as a favorable divine sign before military action against France. He ordered the stone preserved, connecting an astronomical event with the politics of the Holy Roman Empire.
Where is the Ensisheim meteorite now?
The principal surviving mass is kept in Ensisheim, France, at the Musée de la Régence. Smaller pieces entered other collections after fragments were removed over the centuries.
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