Riquewihr
 |
Country : France  Département : Haut-Rhin  |
| French |
D'or à trois demies ramures de cerf de sable posées en fasce, rangées en pal et surmontées d'une étoile de six rais du même. |
| English | No blazon/translation known. Please click here to send your (heraldic !) blazon or translation |
Origin/meaning
The three antlers in the arms of Riquewihr dates back to the 14th century and is based on the coat of arms of the Counts, later Dukes, of Württemberg who, from 1324 until 1790, were lords of Riquewihr. The star is taken from the arms of the lords of Horbourg who had preceded the Württembergs. This star, first placed in the point, has been placed in chief since the 15th century.
The colors are those of Württemberg and known as such since the 17th century. The position of the antlers has varied during the centuries and at some point the antlers were placed facing the opposite direction as in the Württemberg arms. Hozier (1696) already shows the antlers facing to the left of the viewer (à dextre), but later, early 20th century, sources show the arms facing to the right as in Württemberg. An interesting version is by Traversier (see below), with the antlers pointing upwards.
The number of points of the antlers which was initially four is generally five, especially since the second half of the seventeenth century.
Oldest seal of the city
Seal of the city used 1544-1618
The arms in Hozier (1696)
The arms in Traversier (1842)
The arms by Schœnhaupt, 1900
The arms around 1905 (Meininger, no year)
The arms in the Café Sanka album +/- 1932
The arms in an album from 1938
The arms on a postcard from 1943
The arms on a postcard by Kroma
The arms in the town (source)
The arms on a cover (1985)
Literature: Wilsdorf et al, Armorial des Communes du Haut-Rhin, 1981