Heidelberg Tun, Wine barrel in Heidelberg Castle, Germany.
The Heidelberg Tun is a colossal wine barrel housed in Heidelberg Castle's underground cellars, constructed from oak wood with enormous proportions. Visitors can climb interior stairs and stand on a wooden platform at the top to take in its full scale.
The barrel was built in 1751 as the fourth and final giant wine vat installed in the castle's underground cellars. It marks the culmination of a long tradition of wine storage within this fortress.
The wooden figure of Little Perkeo, a court jester from South Tyrol, stands beside the barrel as a reminder of lavish celebrations from centuries past. His presence shapes how visitors experience this historic wine cellar today.
You can access the barrel by climbing interior stairs that lead directly to a viewing platform on top, giving you a good vantage point. The pathways are generally easy to walk, though the space is confined since the barrel sits within historic underground cellars.
French soldiers left visible axe marks on the barrel's exterior when they discovered it empty during their invasion of the castle. These marks remain visible today, serving as a physical reminder of past conflict within the fortress walls.
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