Heidelberg Castle

DATE OF VISIT: July 2023

WHERE DID I STAY? Marriott Hotel, Vangerowstrasse 16 Heidelberg, Germany 69115  Telephone: +49 6221 9080. The location of the Marriott is very convenient - located on the bank of the Neckar river it is far enough outside of the city to avoid the "hustle and bustle" and yet access to the city is very easy by foot, taxi or tram. The hotel has a very nice restaurant named Grill 16 where dinner is served from 6pm and during the summer it is possible to eat either in the restaurant or on the terrace.

THE CASTLE

Heidelberg Castle (German: Heidelberger Schloss) is a ruin in Germany and landmark of Heidelberg. The castle ruins are among the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps.

The castle has only been partially rebuilt since its demolition in the 17th and 18th centuries. It is located 80 metres (260 ft) up the northern part of the Königstuhl hillside, and thereby dominates the view of the old downtown. It is served by an intermediate station on the Heidelberger Bergbahn funicular railway that runs from Heidelberg's Kornmarkt to the summit of the Königstuhl.

The earliest castle structure was built before 1214 and later expanded into two castles circa 1294; however, in 1537, a lightning bolt destroyed the upper castle. The present structures had been expanded by 1650, before damage by later wars and fires. In 1764, another lightning bolt caused a fire which destroyed some rebuilt sections. (Script courtesy of: Wikipedia)

I visited the castle when staying in the beautiful city of Heidelberg. I drove to Heidelberg from Prague and stayed in the Marriott Hotel.

The climb to the castle is steep but rewarding. If when visiting you feel the gradient too demanding, then I recommend that you take the funicular railway from the Kornmarkt which is located in the centre of the town. 

On arrival at the castle, there is an information centre located on the right-hand side, (on entry) where tickets can be purchased to enter the courtyard of the castle itself - at the time of my visit the price of the ticket was €9. However, you can walk around the outside of the castle for free and the views across Heidelberg to the bridge are spectacular on a nice day. The castle is largely a ruin but very impressive nonetheless.

PLACES TO EAT

There are numerous restaurants and coffee bars throughout  the city of Heidelberg and particularly on the Haupstrasse and in the squares leading off the same street. If you would like to try local cuisine and excellent beer, I can recommend "Zum Roten Ochsen" located at Haupstrasse 217 which has been a restaurant for more than 300 years.

LINKS

1. https://www.schloss-heidelberg.de

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heidelberg_Castle

3. https://roterochsen.de/en/welcome/