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Riquewihr (in German Reichenweier ) is a common French, located in the department of the Haut-Rhin and the area Alsace.

Geography

It is a village of Alsace, very famous and visited for its charm. Riquewihr is a medieval city located in full heart of the Alsatian vineyard. The village is located on the wine trail, to 10 km in the north of Kaysersberg and 4 km in the south of Hunawihr and Ribeauvillé. Blottie at the entry of a timbered small valley, protected by Schoenenberg against the winds from north, Riquewihr overhangs slightly the plain of Alsace and offers a splendid sight on the valley of the the Rhine since the the Alps until the access of Sélestat. Also, its Climat is, by its softness, particularly favorable to the culture of the Vigne, the slopes on the heavy ground and the stiff slopes not offering other possibilities of Culture. It is located in the Canton of Kaysersberg. Its characteristic is to be located between three hills, which gave the logo of the house Hugel, one of the more wine big family of Riquewihr. This village knew to keep its lanes and its houses because it could pass through all the important Guerre S.

Blazon

It takes as a starting point the weapons of the lords de Horbourg and that of the counts, then dukes of Wurtemberg. " Of gold to the three armours of stag of sand posed in fasce and lines out of stake, it with dextral, not pinned each of five parts, surmounted by a star of six rays of the même".

History

An old Roman city

The origins of Riquewihr go up at the time Roman. Vestiges of a " Speculum " (turn of observation) and the remainders of a wall, of a tower prove the passage of a Route going up by the valley with Aubure passing close to old a pagan Mur. It is extremely probable which there existed at this place a Halde before the entry of the Montagne, and the culture of the Vigne lets suppose small a Agglomération strengthened. Tombs found in the neighborhoods prove the existence of a locality around VIIIe and IXe century.

Origin of the name of the village

The Village of Riquewihr probably owes its Nom with a rich person Propriétaire Franc who lived with the VIe century bearing the name of " Richo". According to the franque habit, and in order to guarantee the fidelity of the Warlike S, the successors of Clovis had as a practice to distribute grounds under the responsibility of a Chef. In our case he was entrusted to a frankly Germanic owner of the name of " Richo". Its name was then associated with that of sound Domaine which received the name of " Richovilla" (of the Anthroponyme Richo and of the Latin villare , firm ), from where at the time Carolingian it name of " Richovilare" adopting the name of " with the passing of years; Riquewihr". This important Character of the franque time who cannot maintain only immense the Ground S placed at its disposal called upon collaborators who built Maison S occupied then by the first Habitant S of Riquewihr.

A property of the dukes of Alsace

About the year 1000, Riquewihr, was with its castle of Reichenstein the property of the Ducs of Alsace and Eguisheim - Dabo. In 1094, the Abbaye of Holy-Cross-in-Plain has Vigne S in Riquewihr.

Riquewihr then passes to the hands dukes of Horbourg

Hundred years later, the city and the Château become the property of the dukes of Horbourg. Burkhardt II of Horbourg makes strengthen the castle in 1291 and made raise and surround the borough broad and deep ditch. With the XIIIe century we find with the castle the Fislin brothers, terrors of the region, member of the house of Horbourg, managers of this house or usurpers. In 1269 the castle was destroyed on order of Rodolphe de Habsbourg which became Empereur later Saint Empire Romain Germanique eight years. In 1320, Horbourg obtain the authorization to raise their field in " ville" thus giving a certain importance to the city. Without posterity, the counts of Horbourg sell in 1324 their grounds to Ulrich X of Wurtemberg. The count Eberhard IV of Wurtemberg takes for been engaged in 1397 the heiress of the Comté of Montbeliard, Henriette de Montfaucon still Enfant. Works of the XIIIe century there remain still some vestiges of this time (the keep of Reichenstein in the valley of Sembach, the wall enclosing northern and western) and other witnesses emblematic whom one can still see: Dolter and the Tower of the Robbers. Riquewihr having become capital, the two families, Wurtemberg-Monbéliard wisely controlled their field which known then a great prosperity until the Guerre thirty year old. The flourishing trade of the Wine which exported in all the Empire and the countries hansiatic brought a great prosperity as testify some the remarkable residences dated essentially from the XVIe century. In 1534, the count Georges of Wurtemberg, Lutheran, introduced the Reform into the Seigniory.

Destruction of the castle

In 1269, Rodolphe de Habsbourg, future Emperor of Germany, had with the assistance of the troops of the town of Strasbourg and Colmar, besieged the Château of Reichenstein, located at half an hour of Riquewihr. This nest of Chevalier S brigands was taken and destroyed to prevent the return to the annoying practices of these men. The two occupants, the two Gislin brothers, were condemned to died and were hung with a Chêne very close to the castle whose vestiges and Donjon are still visible. After the execution of the knights, Rodolphe goes in the village of Riquewihr where it divides glass of Vin with the inhabitants. The following day, while returning to horse with its Sharecropper of Guémar, Roldolphe proclaims that the village of Riquewihr deserves to be set up downtown, because, thanks to this " Devil of wine " it was made address as tu by old council and would not like that one can reproach him that it was also made address as tu by the peasants. The disappearance of the castle became for the Ville, the one period vast starting point.

The construction of a fortress

In 1291, Burckhardt II of Horbourg equipped the town of a wall of Enceinte existing mainly still today with different the Tour S. Ainsi Riquewihr became small a Forteresse 300 m length and 220 m margin. This place strengthened offered to the inhabitants of several close villages a place to take refuge there. The access of the city was ensured by two doors, that of bottom destroyed in 1804 and that the top known under the name of " Dolter". This overhung door of a tower on five floors, has a 25 meters height. The passage could at the time it danger being closed by a very solid door with two Battant S and by a Herse. The Cloche in small the Clocheton was used as signal of Alarme in the event of approach of the enemy coming from the Plaine. The interior of Dolter was used formerly as place of dwelling with the Gardien of the village. A glance along the enclosing wall, on the right and on the left of Dolter and along Sows, gives us an idea, beside its aspect Pittoresque, of the solidity and the importance of these fortifications.

The thirty year old war

At the time of the Guerre thirty year old (1618 - 1648) the armies under various banners broke on Alsace and devastated the major part of the cities and villages. In 1635 and 1652, Riquewihr was besieged taken and plundered by the troops of the Duc of Lorraine. Since 1607 the burgvogt is known under the name of Johann Conrad Krämer and until in 1626 will reside at it. Under its reign of work of restoration and consolitation are undertaken which will make it possible the population of Riquewihr to find refuge inside the strengthened walls. It should be said that during this period Alsace must face all kinds of armies which plunder and hold to ransom the population. In 1626 new the burgvogt is called Michel Hauweber. It is charged by the duke with Wurtemberg with respecting specifications Draconian, such as for example defending with very taken the castle and wood around the fortress. In 1635 the town of Riquewihr is occupied by a French detachment of sixteen men come from Colmar. The Burgvogt made do many work and strengthened the walls. The city is bombarded by six pieces of artillery. Small the Garnison taken refuge with the Château of Bilstein resists valiantly. At this point in time the commander-in-chief of Colmar, Mr. Manicamp decides to send reinforcements to Riquewihr to insert the walls of the castle. But the detachment was lost in the Bois and the troop sent in refort was dispersed by the Paysan S of the Valley of Orbey. But a small column ends up being in front of the castle and opening breaches in the sytème of defense of the castle. The attack becomes inevitable then. The commander also asks to the defenders of Riquewihr to give up protecting the village by promising the safe life with the population if it opens the doors to him. The Habitant S ended up their opening the doors on June 26th, 1635. But the troops did not respect their promise scrupulously and one attended then with summary executions and settlings of score. The murders succeeded the Famine and the epidemic S of Peste, of Choléra and the Typhus which decimated most of the population and Riquewihr had much evil to be raised following these desolations, the passage of the armies of the King de France in 1675 not arranging the situation. In 1680, the emissary of Louis XIV took possession of Riquewihr, which remained however subjected to the laws and habits of the Germanic Empire and to the orders of the counts of Wurtemberg.

The revolutionary period

During the Revolution, the family of the Wurtemberg must give up her possessions in Alsace. Riquewihr is thus definitively attached to the French Republic towards 1796 ratified by the Traité of Paris.

The second world war

Contrary to the other villages of the area, Riquewihr has escaped miraculeusement with the destruction of the Première and the Second world war, because of its position in cul-de-sac. This safeguarding of its old inheritance does of it one of the most visited villages of Alsace.

Administration

Demography

provisional population for 2006: 1.273

Places and monuments

The old castle of the Wurtemberg shelters from now on the museum of the Post office. The tower, set up in 1291, supervising the ramparts at the higher end of the city bears the name of Dolder , which means top.

The many small lanes which radiate starting from the main street are the occasion of walks and a diving in the history of the city. In the center, the place of the Three-Churches of which two were transformed into dwelling houses. There remains only the Temple Protesting.

The Museum of the Tower of the Robbers shelters oubliettes of time, with room of torture. It is established in the old dungeons of the city.

To note that village is gratifié label of the more beautiful villages of France, decreed by an independent association aiming at promoting the tourist assets of small rich French communes of an inheritance of quality.

Vestiges of the castle of Bilstein

The ruins of the castle extremely located on the road of Aubure, in the east of Ribeauvillé are in the south of the valley of Strengbach, between the Collar Top of Ribeauvillé and the valley of Sainte Marie-with-Mines. They are drawn up on a rock peak of Schlossberg to 700 meters of altitude. This castle is mentioned for the first time in 1217 in the chronicle of Richer, monk and abbot of Senones. It belongs then to the duke of Lorraine which yields it in stronghold to the family of Horbourg. To distinguish it from another castle bearing the same name but located at the valley of City close to Urbeis, one joined to him name of castle of Bilstein of Aubure]. This last preserves it until in 1324 then is sold to their uncle the count of Ulrich of Wurtemberg. It transferred in 1387 the miraculous image from the Vierge in the church from Notre Dame from Riquewihr. The Keep and it shirt date probalement from the XII and the beginning of the XIIIe century and the high door which was remade with the XIVe century. This castle is restored on several occasions with XVe, XVIe and XVIIe century. In 1388, the cities Souabe S and Alsatian gathered declare the war with the duke of Bavaria and its allies of which the count Eberhard of Wurtemberg. He is asked to them of apargner the castle of Bilstein. In 1424, Ferry, bastard from Charles II of Lorraine, obtains the pleasure from it. The inhabitants of Beblenheim pay in 1472 a Redevance so that the Châtelain supervises their forests. In 1547, the Empereur is in war against Wurtemberg and makes the seat in front of the Château. During the War Thirty year old, from January 10th to 13rd 1636, it occupied and is ruined by the imperial troops of the count of Schlick. A fire which has occurred in 1640 completed to ruin it completely. The last Baillif of the castle which takes possession of the ruins takes his functions in 1655. In front of the extent of repairs, he is gradually forsaken and was used as Carrière with the population of Riquewihr. The castle of Bilstein will be used as prison with various recoveries until in 1489.

Vestiges of the castle of Reichenstein

Old castle of Wurtemberg

Old court of the Abbey of Autrey

In 1579, the Vine grower and Middle-class of Riquewihr, Melchior Strauss buys with the Chanoine S augustins of Autrey, close to Rambervillers (the Vosges) this court mentioned one century earlier. It is restored of 1579 with 1581 by a contractor of Milan, Antoine Muzat. The year 1581 is on the door of the Tourelle and on a stone of the chaining of angle close to the oriel. The ecclesiastical receiver Jean Fehr settles there like Locataire. This turret assembles Cave to the Comble S by a Escalier to screw suspended. Its Voûte with eight Nervure S supports a terrace whose railing is decorated of a stone net constituting a genuine lace (classified Historic building in 1990).

Turn of the Robbers

The Tour of the Voleur S is a construction in pentagonal form built in 1550 a 18 meters height. Inside the first part the Chambre is Torture S with the authentic Instrument S of Torture. One locked up there the Malfrat S. In 1484, the inhabitants ask the Seigneur more not to be locked up in this tower and to hold it for the foreign S. the white tower, now disappeared was intended to lock up the prisoners of Riquewihr there. The access of the Tower of the Robbers is done by the Court of the Juif S by climbing the enclosing wall by an old staircase of the time.

Dolder

Dolder was the Porte of entry of the town of Riquewihr built at the same time as the strengthened Enceinte with the XIIIe century (in 1291). It was used to defend the city against all foreign Intrusion, thanks to its turn of Guet installed on the Beffroi. Dolder means into Alsatian " the point more haut". The belfry has a 25 meters height and was built to impress the Ennemi thanks to the military aspect of its exterior facade. The interior side round towards the city gave a more pleasant aspect thanks to its beams in form of Colombage S and its four stages which were occupied by the family of the guard. The Gardien was to ensure the guet and to close the door of the entry of the village each evening and to prevent the Population if something of abnormal occurred while giving the Alarme. It had for that of small a Cloche on the top the belfry. This bell was molten in 1842 and carried the inscription " it is the joy, it is the alarm which my its product. From day I announce the din and the rest of the nuit". This Monument remains still today the Emblème more noticed in the city. The interior of Dolder, formerly dwelling of the guard, shelters today in three of these popular stages the local museum of art and the tradition. The tower shelters a collection of Arme S of XVe to the XVIIe century and various Outils and objects directly related to the profession viticultural. One also finds there documents and memories of families, and Ustensiles of the time which completely disappeared. A glance along the enclosing wall, on the right and on the left of Dolder and along Sows makes us feel, his picturesque side, the solidity and the importance of these Fortification S.

Old Notre-Dame church

Located 16 place des Trois-Eglises. The construction of this old church is due to the count Ulrich of Wurtemberg which made come from the Château of Bilstein a miraculous image of the Vierge in this church which becomes thus a place of Pèlerinage very attended. Into 1534, with the Reform, the church is transformed into protesting Presbytère and the miraculous image is destroyed. The Pinnacle and the chorus are destroyed during the Révolution. Contiguous to the northern enclosing wall, the building presents significant Vestige S of small a Gothic Sanctuaire : large broken Arcades, a trefoil Window high, and large a Bay with network in the Pinion western. On the second floor, a window is gone back to 1573.

Puit of XVIe century

This Puit in pink sandstone dating from the XVIe century is located between the Hederich streets and of the Général de Gaulle. The amounts of this puit preserve splendid sculptures.

High door

The high door is with some steps of the exit Western. The site was provided with a Pont-levis which remains still partially visible on the wall external of the Bâtiment as well as the passage where a massive door out of wooden with double Battant was drawn up. Installed about the year 1500 this harrow is one of oldest of Europe and is former of a few years to that which one can see on the Tour of London. Because of the development of the firearms, one second enclosure is arranged towards 1500 intended to reinforce the three most vulnerable sides of the city (be-south and west). This door as well as the Rampart S and the bastions are built at the request of the duke of Wurtemberg. The two leaves of the door faced the centuries. At the same time the building is supplemented of deep and broad ditch intended to reassure the population. Enclosure of the defensive Tower built in 1291, there remain only those of the turns of the angles know-west (Heller Turn), in the North-West (the Tower of the Anabaptiste S) and in the North-West the Tower of the Robbers. The door being with the bottom of the village was demolished at the beginning of the XIXe century at the same time as the southern Tower (the white Tower).

Fountain of Sinne (1560)

Puit of the Jews (1551)

Court of Strasbourg

Another curiosity

Museum of History of the postal and telecommunications authorities of Alsace

Personalities related to the commune

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