Heidelberg Castle, Castle ruin in the Altstadt, Heidelberg, Germany
The Château d'Heidelberg is a castle ruin in the Altstadt neighborhood of Heidelberg, Germany, sitting on the northern slope of the Königstuhl hill above the Neckar valley. Its red sandstone buildings mix Gothic and Renaissance styles, with decorated facades arranged around a large inner courtyard.
Construction began in the early 13th century, and the castle soon became the residence of the Electors Palatine. French troops destroyed it several times in the late 17th century, and two lightning strikes in 1764 hit the already weakened buildings, after which it was never fully rebuilt.
The castle is known for its Grosses Fass, a giant wine barrel from 1751 that sits in the cellar. On top of it, there is a small dance floor where visitors can stand today.
The castle is reachable by funicular from the Altstadt, but it can also be reached on foot via a walking path. A visit usually takes two to three hours, so it is worth setting aside enough time to explore the courtyard, the terraces, and the museum.
In the early 17th century, a garden called the Hortus Palatinus was laid out around the castle and was described at the time as the eighth wonder of the world. It was never fully completed, as the Thirty Years War interrupted the work.
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