Ruin to visit
Girsberg Castle
Markers
It was reported to have been struck by lightning in 1288, but the castle was certainly built in the middle of the 13th century next to Saint Ulrich to house a branch of the Ribeaupierres. Jean de Girsberg received it as a fief in 1304, and in 1422 it was besieged during a conflict between the Girsbergs and the Ribeaupierres, the latter regaining their right over the castle until it was abandoned in the 16th century.
History
Two brothers from the Ribeaupierre Family lived in Girsberg Castle and Saint-Ulrich Castle located right next to it. They had agreed on a way of signalling to each other so that every morning the first one to get up had to wake up the other by shooting an arrow at his shutter. One day when the younger brother shot his crossbow bolt, his elder brother opened the flap at that very moment and received the arrow in his heart.
Key points
Its pentagonal-shaped keep, which seems to be joined to the rock, the adjoining residential chamber and the semi-circular tower, the nearby Saint-Ulrich, located a few minutes away.
Practical informations
- Address
-
68150 Ribeauville - Access
- Access to the castle is on foot only, via a hiking trail marked ‘Circuit des trois châteaux’ (Three Castles’ Circuit) using the GR5. Depart from Place de la République or from the Lutzelbach car park in Ribeauvillé.
- Walk time from car park
- 55 min
- Nearest tourism office
- Office de tourisme Pays de Ribeauvillé-Riquewihr
10 Grand'rue - 68150 Ribeauville
03 89 73 23 23 - info@ribeauville-riquewihr.com
www.ribeauville-riquewihr.com - Facebook @paysribeauvilleriquewihr - GPS coordinates
- Lat.: 48.20351117 - Long.: 7.30728149
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Discovery tour of Ribeauvillé
Discovery tour of Ribeauvillé
The town and neighbouring hills are dominated by the majestic ruins of the Three Castles of the Lords of Ribeaupierre. The Grand-Rue (main street) and its picturesque neighbouring streets, lined with 15th- to 18th-century buildings (flowered in season), are scattered with Renaissance fountain-decorated squares. Many buildings are worth a visit, including the Town Hall with its prestigious collection of silver drinking-cups, the Butchers' Tower (13th century), the former Corn Exchange, the House of the Fiddlers, etc.
In addition to the tourist train, free guided tours of the old town and Town Hall are organised daily (except on Mondays and Saturdays) from May to October.
A local metropolis
The vineyards, which have been in existence since the Middle Ages, enable many winegrowers as well as the wine cooperative to offer visits to their cellars and tastings, in particular of the three Grands Crus, Geisberg, Kirchberg de Ribeauvillé and Osterberg.
The range of services available and variety of shops make Ribeauvillé an outstanding point of attraction. Its dynamic cultural life is internationally renowned, with the Spring Market, the Kougelhopf Festival (in early May), the Wine Fair (end of July), the Fiddlers' Fair (first Sunday in September), the Festival of Ancient Music (October), the Mediaeval Christmas Market, etc.
A wonderful climate
With its 'Green Holiday Resort' and 'Climatic Resort' labels, awarded in recognition of the qualitry of its environment, Ribeauvillé has a high-quality infrastructure of hotels and offers a varied range of bed-and-breakfast rooms and furnished accommodation, two campsites, including one four-star site (new standards), many excellent restaurants, an open-air swimming-pool and a sports complex (gymnasium, indoor pool, stadium). A spa-cum-casino will shortly be added to these already considerable resources.
Ribeauvillé combines the advantages of a town with the charm of a winegrowing village.
68150 Ribeauville
Vineyard and mountain - Kaysersberg-Ribeauvillé-Aubure
Vineyard and mountain - Kaysersberg-Ribeauvillé-Aubure
68240 Kaysersberg Vignoble
www.alsaceavelo.fr
Nearby
Ribeauvillé
Saint-Ulrich Castle
