Ribeauvillé

Occupied under all the times since the Neolithic era, " Ratbaldo vilare " or " farm of Ratbald " appears in 759.

This same name gave in modern German " Rappoltsweiler ", in Alsatian dialect " Rappschwihr " and in French " Ribeauvillé ".

The borough belonged to the lords of " Rappoltstein " or " Ribeaupierre " who, since the 11th century resided at the castle of " Rappoltstein ", renamed later " Saint-Ulrich ", name of the owner of the castle vault.

The " Rappoltstein " built during the 13th century the castles of " Hohrappoltstein " or "

Haut-Ribeaupierre " and of " Girsberg ". They decided also to fortify the city towards 1287.

Enlarged several times to face its expansion, the urban enclosure formed as from the 14th century four autonomous and contiguous districts, communicating between them by fortified gateways.

Two districts of the upper city and those of the lower city often belonging to two different branches of the family, each one their own castle in their part of the city.

In 1525, the " Rappolstein " severely punished the inhabitants' participation in the Peasants' War.

The " Rappoltstein " died out into 1673, not without having tried in 1563 to introduce the Reform, without much success.

Their heirs, a branch of Palatines' Count, recognized French sovereignty, but kept the seigniory until 1801. A this time, the last among them, " Maximilian of Palatinat Deux Ponts ", was named King of Bavaria by Napoleon.

The " Rappoltstein " and their successors were " Kings of the street musicians ", i.e. they had in stronghold of Empire the protection and the jurisdiction of all the itinerant street musicians and wandering entertainers of Alsace.

The street musicians' brotherhood met each year in Ribeauvillé on September 8th .

After a pilgrimage at " Our Lady of Dusenbach ", local site of pilgrimage, within the sound of the instruments, the " Rappoltstein " judged the disputes between the street musicians.

Nowadays, the " Pfifferdaj " or " Street musicians' day " is celebrated again with great splendour.

midas