HEIDELBERG - OVER 800 YEARS OF HISTORY

HEIDELBERG, CITY OF THE FUTURE? - SEPTEMBER 1990

The oldest university in Germany (1386), a castle, an old town and a river, all set amidst hills, make Heidelberg one of the most beautiful cities in Germany. Roughly 140,000 inhabitants, including 28000 students, live in almost 110 square kilometres of this open minded city, with modern research facilities.


"RIVER NECKAR - Heidelberg is built on the banks of the Neckar, a tributary of the Rhine"


"THE OLD TOWN AND BRIDGE - After having four wooden bridges destroyed by floods, fire and ice, had its first stone bridge finished in 1788. Beautiful view!"


"THE CASTLE was first constructed for Prince Elector Ruprecht III (1398 - 1410). The Prince Electors of the 16th and 17th century added two palace buildings to the complex: the Ottheinrich and the Friedrichsbau. The Castle was destroyed during the 30 Years' War. Later rebuilt by Prince Elector Karl Ludwig (1649 - 1680), was once again destroyed by French troops. Prince Elector Karl Theodor tried to restore the castle to make it inhabitable, but lightning struck the Castle in 1764, and left it in ruins"


"PULVERTURM - The ruins of the powder tower"


"CASTLE GARDENS - the Renaissance garden was considered, before the 30 Years' War, as the «Eighth Wonder of the World»"


"FATHER RHINE - In a pond, an enormous sandstone sculpture was added"


"GREAT TERRACE - wonderful view of the Castle's east front rising dark into the sky as well as a view of the Rhine Valley. The garden architect Salomon de Caus, created the Castle Gardens, discovered this view"


"FRIEDRICHSBAU, the castle's second Renaissance Palace owes its existence to Friedrich IV. The construction work started in 1601 and was finished in 1604. The façade is adorned with 16 statues of princes, ancestors of Friedrich IV, made by Sebastian Gortz. In 1900, the Palace was renovated and is therefore the only building in the castle that shows its former magnificience"


"SAALBAU - The Hall Building - marks the architectural transition from the Gothic to the Renaissance. On the right hand side of the photo, Ottheinrich's Palace, destroyed during the French Succession Wars in 1693, was one of the most beautiful Renaissance palaces north of the Alps"



"THE CASTLE - View from one of the bridges over the Neckar"


"THE NECKAR - and the sun started shinning"


"THE OLD BRIDGE -The West Tower contains dungeons, whereas the East Tower holds a spiral staircase"


"UNIVERSITY - On June 24, 1712, the university's chancellor Prof. Dr. Melchior Kirchner laid the foundation-stone for the "Old University", as the building is called today. The "Alte Aula" was added in 1885 shortly before the university's 500th anniversary. At the University Square, in front of the building, the «Löwenbrunnen» can be found. The fountain is crowned by a lion symbolizing the power of the Palatinate"


"TOWN HALL - The foundation-stone for Heidelberg's new town hall was laid in 1701. From 1703 till 1914, the assembly hall was located behind the balcony. Due to a fire, the town hall had to be reconstructed in 1908"


"MARKTPLATZ - In the heart of the city"