From the top of its 197 ft high (300 m) location, Riquewihr embraces the Alsace plain. The Romans already occupied the site because it marked the start of the mountain and the entrance to the forest. At the bottom of the small valley of Sembach, Riquewihr's cul de sac situation preserved it from the two world wars. However, this location did not prevent internal conflicts from raging there in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. They were the reason ramparts and towers were constructed around the village during the 13th century.