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Ribeauvillé |
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 Nested in the heart of the numerous vineyards, Ribeauville stands amid the valley, surrounded by the three castles of Ribeauvillé: The Haut Ribeaupierre, built in the top of the mountain more than eight centuries ago symbolised the power and strength of the seigniories. Maintained till the fifteenth century, the circular keep remains.
The castle of Saint – Ulrich, residence of the lord, is a much larger and more inhabitable palace. On a platform unfold its keep and lodgings from the twelfth and thirteenth century, subsequently enlarged in the sixteenth century. Its chapel was dedicated to Saint Ulrich, whose name the castle bears. The lord of Ribeaupierre could welcome all his knights and court in the vast seventeen meters long hall, with nine double-arched windows. Hundreds of people could be lodged easily.
The third castle, Gisberg sleeps at the right side of Saint Ulrich at the same height.
Perched on a peak which is fifty eight metres high, twenty four metres long, and only five metres wide. Built in the thirteenth century as a true and proper fortress, it didn’t last long and was taken in 1422 by the lord of Ribeaupierre from a recalcitrant vassal and destroyed.
From the sixteenth century, the Ribeaupierres decided to reside in the upper city of the town of Ribeauvillé. This city was curiously constructed in the thirteenth century expanding around a wide central road, the present main road , and radiating from the centre into four grid sections. A wall with fortified gates encircled each section. The Metzgerturm (1536) still remains as part of this wall, as well as the tower of butchers, which divided the upper and lower city. Two external rampart gates also remain, to the east and to the south, with their respective towers.
From the year 1312, the performers of the Upper Rhine Valley, who had their capital in Selestat, transported its seats to Ribeauvillé, electingas their protector and king the lord of Ribeaupierre. The house of Ave Maria, whose loggia bears a painting of the Annunciation, was their headquarters for many years. On September 8, their celebration reunited the five families who took part in their community, each one with its own teacher. The musicians, jugglers, minstrels and actors were excluded from the Christian community. At the council of Basel, in the fifteenth century, the lord of Ribeaupierre convinced the church to recognize them as their children. The Ribeaupierre dynasty ended in 1673, succeeded by a branch of the Palatinat-Deux-Ponts, who maintained the seigniory until 1801.
Strolling in this sunny city, one doesn’t imagine of the plights of the past. Yet in 1524, te city suffered the peasant revolt, and four epidemics of the plague decimated the city in 1631, 1638, 1639 and 1669. As a result more than half of the city’s vineyards was abandoned.
But each time the city managed to rebirth, in total disrespect to all calamities and devastating wars.
The city still celebrates the musicians, the “Pfifferdai” on the first Sunday of September.
On this special occasion young wine is poured abundantly at the renaissance fountain.
In the main square and the city hall (1708), tourists, their thirst quenched, discover the marvellous series of silver and vermilion cups from the lords of Ribeaupierre, who had a solid reputation as great letters' lovers, as well as fine warriors and drinkers.
Their library was comparable, for its time, to the library of Michel de Montaigne.
Pierre BORIE - 11.04.06 -
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Posted on Tuesday, April 11 @ 08:41:12 MST by pierre
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