Heidelberg Castle
Heidelberg Castle is one of Germany’s oldest castles, located on a green hill near Heidelberg. To see “Germany’s most legendary ruins”, more than a million tourists come to the ancient town, in the northwestern state of Baden-Württemberg, every year. The half-ruined stone buildings rise above the valley of the Neckar River like visions from the past and have a special romantic charm. It is no coincidence that Victor Hugo and Mark Twain wrote about Heidelberg Castle, and its silhouettes remained on the canvases of the famous British painter William Turner.
Video: Heidelberg Castle
General Information
The castle on Mount Königstuhl was built by order of Emperor Frederick II. Originally, two fortifications were erected on the slopes of the hill. The upper one appeared at the beginning of the XIII century, and the lower one, which has survived to this day, at the turn of the XIII-XIV centuries. For several centuries Heidelberg Castle served as the main residence of the Electors of the Palatinate and was destroyed at the end of the XVII century.
.Nowadays, many travelers from Germany itself and other countries of the world come to see the legendary castle. In terms of the number of visitors, the ruins in the Neckar valley are in no way inferior to Rome, the ancient monuments of Athens and the sights of Berlin.
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Of greatest interest to travelers is the Friedrich Wing or Friedrichsbau, restored in the late 19th century. It has restored the first floor, where the Imperial and Knight’s Halls are located. In the chapel of the XVIII century today hold weddings of newlyweds in the Catholic rite. Many tourists stroll along the picturesque terraces of the ruined garden of Hortus Palatinus, which used to be called “the eighth wonder of the world”. From here you can enjoy excellent views of Heidelberg, the river valley and the Upper Rhine lowlands.
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Heidelberg Castle houses the world’s largest wine barrel, made by local craftsmen. Its size is impressive – the barrel can hold more than 200 thousand liters of wine. In addition, in the cellars of the ancient castle, the Pharmacy Museum is open.
History of Heidelberg Castle
The first mention of the city of Heidelberg dates back to the late 12th century. Exact historical data, when one of the best palaces in Germany was erected, has not survived, but researchers suggest that it happened at the end of the XIII – early XIV century.
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The rulers of the Palatinate who lived in Heidelberg spent a lot of time and money rebuilding and decorating their residence. Thanks to their efforts, the castle on the mountain looked magnificent. During the reign of Louis V, the church reformer Martin Luther visited here, and he left the most enthusiastic descriptions of Heidelberg Castle.
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At the end of the 17th century, French troops under King Louis XIV, wishing to seize control of the Palatinate, attacked Heidelberg several times. In 1693 they were victorious, turning the picturesque castle into ruins.
The next electors tried to restore the former grandeur of the ancient buildings, but at first there were not enough funds for this. In 1777, the castle lost its status as a residence, as the court was moved to Munich. The fortifications in Heidelberg were finally abandoned, and the rich castle fell on hard times. The buildings were dismantled and valuable sculptures and interiors were ruthlessly destroyed.
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The savior of the historical monument was Count Charles de Gremberg. He first came to Heidelberg in the early 19th century and stayed for more than half a century. The count voluntarily looked after the old castle, preventing its looting. It is thanks to his heroic work that we can see what is today the pride of Germany.
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The restoration of the ruins began in the 1890s. The reconstruction took several years and was completed in 1900. After that, the ancient Heidelberg Castle was made available to tourists.
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Visitors
The grounds of Heidelberg Castle are open daily from 10.00 to 18.00. Please note that the last visitors are allowed in half an hour before closing time. Tours of the castle are held every hour: on weekdays from 11.00 to 16.00, and on Saturdays and Sundays from 10.00 to 16.00. An adult ticket costs €7, a discounted ticket costs €4, and a family ticket costs €12.5. It costs 5 € to use the multilingual audio guide.
.How to get there
Heidelberg Castle rises 80 meters above the valley of the Neckar River. From Heidelberg’s central bus station, travelers take bus number 33 to the “Bergbahn” station, then take the mountain railroad (funicular) carriages up to the castle ruins to the “Schloss” station.
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