Re: Welcome to the 3 Borders Country !
 

So beautiful!

Re: Welcome to the 3 Borders Country !
 

Karim:)

Re: Welcome to the 3 Borders Country !
 

Thank you so much dear Sally :)

Springtime is here and we must all make the most of it :thumbsup:

Karim

Re: Welcome to the 3 Borders Country !
 

Indeed!

Thanks Karim for the super photos and interesting info.

Re: Welcome to the 3 Borders Country !
 

As always, lovely pictures :)

Re: Welcome to the 3 Borders Country !
 

Thank you so much for your great comments :thumbsup:

Karim:)

Re: Welcome to the 3 Borders Country !
 

Karim:)

Re: Welcome to the 3 Borders Country !
 

Thanks Karim. Happy Springtime to you!

Re: Welcome to the 3 Borders Country !
 

Thank you so much dear Sally :thumbsup:

Karim

Re: Welcome to the 3 Borders Country !
 

On this 31st March feeling more like a mid June with températures expected to reach 24° celcius, it was with great delight that I was travelling again on the famous Alsace Wines Route to discover two of its most spectacular crown jewels, celebrated for their beauty & charm which are making of these two picturesque villages "Pretty as a Postcard" : Kaysersberg & Riquewihr !

Thanks to the exceptionally hot and dry Springtime we are experiencing this year in the Great East, work in the vineyards is up to 3 weeks ahead of its schedule and man was already binding the vine on the sunny vineyards ( operation which consists in binding the vine shoot with a tie, which avoids the vine shoot to be suffer too much from strong winds and also to direct the vine shoot in the desired direction )

There are places which are preceeded by their reputation and these two villages which I was about to discover are amongst the flagship villages of the Alsatian architectural heritage with a little personal touch for Riquewihr which my Mum visited in her youth, when she was part of the Young Scouts and had walked through the entire Alsace region afoot, slept there overnight and was still cherishing the memory more than half a century later !

This might sound a little "cliché" for the insiders but for whom discover the Alsace region and in particular the Wine Route for the first time, the feeling of being blown away by so much beauty will be along with you on every street corner, each one even more picturesque than the previous one with those exquisite medieval colourful timbered houses which all seem straight out of a fairy tale...

On this 31st March feeling like Summertime, Nature was inviting us to a festival of colours and scents through a multitude of daffodils, tulips but also forsythias, cherry and plum trees in bloom, a real delight for the eyes and the senses !

Kaysersberg, nestled in the heart of sunny vineyards, birthplace of the famous Nobel Prize winner Dr Schweitzer dominated by the ruins of its imperial stronghold castle built in the 12th century with the river Weiss running through the village right below the noble timbered houses in places such as the Rue du Moulin.

Just like its illustrious neighbour village, Riquewihr is amongst the most beautiful villages of France and also one of the most flowery rewarded each year by the prestigious " 3 Flowers Flowery Village", an award which counts up to 4 Flowers with récipients such as Colmar and Eguisheim, also located on the Wine Route.

Discovering Riquewihr is entering a fortified city which history goes back as far as the Roman occupation, through the ancient "Porte du Bas" which passes through the City Hall and the rest will be an enchanting journey as one will wander from the "Tour des Voleurs", rue des Juifs to the "Place des 3 Eglises" up to the famous "Fontaine de la Sinne".

And not to forget the wonderful moment in which a Stork from nearby Ribeauvillé flew over me while looking for a branch in a nearby field to consolidate its nest...magical moments which the Alsace will delight you with in an ever dazzling and enchanting discovery of a region which is truly unique !

I invite you to discover these two jewels of the Alsatian heritage as they are about to celebrate Easter and which become simply magical at Christmas time...


Karim:)

Re: Welcome to the 3 Borders Country !
 

Kaysersberg was first mentioned back in 1227.

On that year, King Henry VII, son of Fréderick of Hohenstaufen, the land laws of the castle built in the beginning of the 13th century.

Following enlargement and strenghtening works, the imperial stronghold castle locked the entrance to the valley and controlled those who were passing through it. The strategic advantage of Kaysersberg was an obvious choice. From this time onwards, the little village started to grow at the feet of its castle.


In 1293, King Adolphe of Nassau granted to his people the same rights and franchise as to those of Colmar, therfore making of the little city, an imperial town. In 1330, Kaysersberg became the seat of the Reichvogtei, the imperial administrative authority.

In 1354, Charles IV stayed in the city. He acknowledged the union of the 10 imperial cities of Alsace as part of the Decapolis

It asserted the city ecomomical vocation. Located at the entrance of the Valley of Weiss river which linked the Upper Alsace to the Lorraine region through the Bonhomme mountain pass, the city was granted many privileges amongst those the right to hold a weekly market in 1429 and a fair in 1479.


Apart from the trade and the handicraft works, Kaysersberg exported its wines well beyond the Rhine region. The economical life gathered around 4 corporations.

The dissatisfaction of the peasantry and the social conditions lead to an uprise in 1525 during which Kaysersberg xas besieged. The city surrended on May 19th. The castle and the Abbaye of Alspach were ransacked, burned and devastated.

A more serious confict, that of the 30 Years War ( 1618 - 1648 ) did not spare the city. The various military cantonments and réquisitions put the city into debts for many years to come. The Munster peace signed in 1648 left the city on the verge of financial ruin. Kaysersberg even had to mortgage its Church bells to the city of Basel !


All throughout the second half of the 17th century, the city population grew again and retrieved its traditional activities. The 18th century did not change the appearance of the city. During the French Revolution, Kaysersberg changed provisionally its name to "Mont Libre" and became head of the local county.

The 19th century saw a steady development of the textile activity mainly during the years 1820 to 1870.


Karim

Re: Welcome to the 3 Borders Country !
 

This little medieval city is nestled at the entrance of a wooded valley, protected by the Schoenenberg against the North winds, Riquewihr overlooks the plain of Alsace offering an outstanding view over the Valley of the Rhine starting from the Alps right through the Sélestat region. As a result, its climate is exceptionally mild for the region, therefore particularly suitable for the vine culture as the vineyards with their heavy soil and steep slopes cannot much other choices of culture. Riquewihr has associated for centuries the quality of its unique architecture to that of its wines, hence its nickname of "Pearl of the Alsace Vineyards".

With more than 2 millions visitors each year coming from France, Europe and beyond, Riquewihr enjoys a worldwide reputation and shows up regularly amongst the winners competing for the Most Beautiful Village of France and also the Most Flowery Villages of France with its multitude of cascading geraniums in summer and of course its magical Chistmas décorations in winter.


The origins of Riquewihr are dating back to the Roman era. The ruins of a "speculum" ( observation tower ), the remains of a wall and a tour are the proof of a Roman route leading to the Aubure valley through an ancient pagan wall

Around the year 1000, Riquewihr and its Reichenstein castle belonged to the Dukes of Alsace and Eguisheim Dabo. The city's name first appeared as "Richovilare" in 1049 in a donation to the Sainte Croix en Plaine Monastery, near Colmar.


From the 13th century, the estate fell into the hands of a noble family, the Reichenstein but its members had a bad reputation as lords robbers. In 1269, in order to re establish the order and the security, Rodolph of Habsbourg, future German Emperor, took the Reichenstein castle with the help of the troops of the cities of Strasbourg and Colmar. The lord robbers were sentenced to death and hanged to an oaktree near the castle of which remains and the donjon are still visible today. After the execution, Rodolphe went to the village of Riquewhir where he shared a glass of wine with the inhabitants.

The city and its castle becoming the property of the Sires of Horbourg, Burkhardt of Horbourg had in 1291 the city walls raised and the village surrounded by a large and deep moat. From this time onwards, Riquewhir became a small stronghold place measuring 300 meters long and 220 meters wide which could if needed also be a welcoming shelter for the population of the nearby villages. The access to the city was only available through two main entrances, that of the lower city and that of the upper city, better known as the "Dolder". This entrance is still overlooked by a 25 meters high five storeys tower.

These city walls are still standing today, in the 21st century. One can still see the North and West city walls as well as the iconics city towers : the Dolder and the Tower of Thieves.


The prosperous wine trade which exported its production throughout the entire Empire as well as the Hanseatic countries brought great properity to the city as reflected in the remarkable mansions dating mainly from the 16th century.

Following the building of the second city walls surrounding the city, and with a retrieved feeling of security, some of the most beautiful houses appeared throughout the 16th and the beginning of the 17th century. The energy of its inhabitants associated with the continuous source of wealth coming from the culture of the vine and the sale of their wines throught the vast Empire were the driving forces behind the transformation of the city.

Architects and Artisans, stone masons and carpenters, wood sculptors and iron mongers, competed of skills and ingeniosity to line the main street as well as the narrow lanes with beautiful frontages, practical and welcoming courtyards. Whether made out of wood, stone or metal, every architectural element was grounds to sculptures, mouldings and arabesques.


The local middle class put as much efforts in decorating the outside of their houses as the inside with fancy elements such as oak floors, sculpted doors, inlaid coffered ceiling, still visible in certain houses today. Happy with the pleasing appearance of their city, the Riquewhirians launched the fashion of the floral displays. And then centuries ago, not a window or courtyard was not embellished with a flower display.

The "Pearl of the Alsace Vineyards" really deserves her nickname :thumbsup: !

Karim

Re: Welcome to the 3 Borders Country !
 

The Language of Flowers & Colours !

The Language of Flowers !

For the last 50 years the label "Flowery Town & Village" has gathered one third of the French towns & villages amongst those more than 4000 are labeled, but what do we really know about this sign that one occasionally sees at the entrance of the towns and villages, in terms of classification ?

This label reward the towns and villages which are focusing on developping their vegetal and flower displays thoughout the year, the animation and promotion actions among the population and the tourists, showcasing the vegetal heritage, the management methods to look after this heritage according in keeping with the natural resources and the biodiversity as well as the complimentary actions in order to promote the quality of the public outdoor spaces.

These efforts are rewarded once a year through a label ranging from 1 to 4 flowers, 4 flowers being the supreme distinction of excellence in terms of vegetal and flower display with no less than 223 towns & villages being awarded 4 flowers throughout the French territory.

In the Alsace region and its famous Wine Route, the 4 flowers label rewarded the towns and villages of Colmar, Ribeauvillé, Bischeim and of course the village of Eguisheim which was the proud recepient in recent years of the National Flowery Grand Prix, the Gold Medal of the European Flower Contest and the supreme honour of being recognized in 2013 as the "French People's Favorite Village" :


In the past, the colours associated with the front of houses all had a precise meaning. As in the middle ages not everyone was able to read, the colored lime whitewash had a precise and practical utility.

The colours assigned symbolically to each corporation of trades, allowed the people to identify each other more easily in the street. The decoration of the front of houses was therefore not left to chance but obeyed to strict and practical rules.

The colour codes are a real identity card of the "Compagnon" as they really help differentiate his trade and rite.

The Workers Association still maintain today this tradition of differentiating the trades. So that the blue is the colour associated with those who work with wood, red with those who work with metal, yellow with those who work with wheat such as bakers, green with those working with leather or fabric. The stone mason, roofers and plasterers are indentified with the cream colour.

In the early times, red was associated with owners who were of a protestant faith and blue with those who were of a catholic faith.


Karim

Re: Welcome to the 3 Borders Country !
 

Here are a few pictures of my discovery of two of the most stunning villages nestled amongst the sunny vineyards of the Alsace Wine Route :thumbsup:...


Karim

Re: Welcome to the 3 Borders Country !
 

Karim