Riquewihr is called the pearl of Alsace. Its intact architectural patrimony is a memory of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. 13th-century ramparts and gates watch over well-preserved half-timbered houses. Their colors and ornaments symbolize the status of their owner, and their oak beams conceal hidden signs. The many winegrowers' stalls are a reminder that Riquewihr owes both its prosperity and glorious past to its vines.