Haus zum Ritter, Heidelberg

Haus zum Ritter is a Renaissance residential building in Heidelberg's Old Town featuring a stone facade with fluted columns and ornate window frames. A triangular gable topped by a figure of Saint George crowns the structure above the upper floors.

Built in 1592 by Huguenot merchant Charles Belier, this structure is the only townhouse to survive the devastating 1693 fire during the Palatinate War. Its stone construction protected it through repeated destruction in the region.

The Latin inscription 'Persta invicta Venus' adorning the gable shows the Renaissance period's connection to classical learning and values. Visitors can still observe these classical references in the decorative details of the facade.

Located at Hauptstrasse 178 in the heart of Heidelberg's Old Town, the building now operates as Hotel Ritter St Georg. This central position makes it convenient to explore nearby monuments and streets on foot.

The building owes its survival not just to its stone construction but also to its location across from the Church of the Holy Spirit, which acted as a natural firebreak. This strategic position allowed it to endure while structures around it were destroyed.