In the Middle Ages, the town of Ribeauvillé was the seat of the Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre - the Lords of Ribeaupierre (whence the town’s name). The Ribeaupierres built 3 fortified castles, the ruins of which still majestically dominate the town and surrounding hills to this day: the Saint Ulrich castle (the oldest and the most important of the 3 castles); the Girsberg castle; the Haut-Ribeaupierre castle, (as its name suggests, is the highest of the 3 castles).