City of the 3 Blackbirds

Ammerschwihr is the heir of Amalrici Villare, an ancient royal farm belonging to Lothair II, Frankish king, which was transformed into a town in the 14th century by the merging of the villages of Ammerschwihr, Meywiller, and Katzenwiller. Today, only Ammerschwihr remains, bearing witness to its rich past under various jurisdictions: that of the Holy Roman Empire, then the Ribeaupierre family, and finally the Holandsberg family. These influences are still visible in its architecture, with iconic monuments such as the Tour des Bourgeois and the Porte Haute, also called the Stork Tower, as well as the Saint-Wendelin chapel.

The town has endured through the centuries, overcoming trials from conflicts, invasions by the Armagnacs, the Thirty Years' War, and incursions by the Lorrainers. It was in the 18th century, thanks to viticulture, that it experienced true growth. Ammerschwihr became known for the birth of several generations of renowned organ makers and for the development of its economy around the Kaefferkopf, a vineyard hill producing exceptional grapes. This grape variety is the origin of the Grand Cru Kaefferkopf, contributing to the region's fame.