Pope Urban VI, in 1386, ordered the founding of one of the world’s oldest universities; the University of Heidelberg. This was the fourth university established in the Holy Roman Empire [after the University of Bologna (1088); the University of Prague (1348); and the University of Vienna (1365)]. Modeled after the University of Paris (aka the Sorbonne), Heidelberg University began with the four traditional courses of study; Philosophy, Theology, Jurisprudence, and Medicine. Today, as a public research university, it boasts over 100 disciplines.
One hundred thirty-two years (1518) after its founding, Martin Luther came to the University of Heidelberg to defend his 28 Theses, which eventually led to the Protestant Reformation. As a result, the University of Heidelberg converted to a Calvinistic institution. During the Thirty Years War (1618 - 1648), the fiscal and intellectual wealth of the university began to decline. In this same period, much of the university’s then world-famous “Bibliotheca Palatina” ( the university library) was taken as a war prize and donated to the Vatican in Rome.
King Louis XIV’s French troops invaded and destroyed Heidelberg as part of the Counter Reformation and the University was placed under the Catholic Jesuit influence as part of the Treaty of Luneville (1801). As a result, the university lost all of its property that was located on the left bank of the Rhine River. By 1803, with the disestablishment of the university looming, it was re-established as a state-owned institution by Karl Friedrich, Grand Duke of Baden, eventually becoming a center for liberalism. This led the university becoming a model for American Liberal Arts Colleges to transition into research institutions.
During the Third Reich’s rising power in 1933, the University of Heidelberg (like other German Universities) was forced to support the Nationalist Social Democratic Party (the Nazis) by dismissing large numbers of its professors and students for political and racial reasons. On May 10, 1933, the Nazis promoted a program of burning books that they determined to be “un-German,” including at the University of Heidelberg’s quadrangle. Since the Allies had decided not to bomb Heidelberg because they wanted it for their headquarters in Germany, reconstruction following the war went quickly.
MarkTwain’s 1880 “A Tramp Abroad” mentioned the University of Heidelberg, as did W. Somerset Maugham’s “Of Human Bondage,” The university was also featured in the 2008 film, “The Reader.”
This truly is one of the great historical landmarks in Heidelberg and we were thrilled at having had the opportunity to explore its grounds.

In 1386, Rupert I was instructed by Pope Urban VI to create the University of Heidelberg modeled after the University of Paris.

Off Old Town Heidelberg’s main thoroughfare (the Haupstrasse) is the entrance into the University of Heidelberg’s Quadrangle.

At one time, graduate students would have to defend their doctoral theses here in the Old Assembly Hall. Today, it is used for festivities and special events.

Originally founded in 1430, the university’s Bibliotheca Palatina (library) soon became world famous because of its collection of 5000 printed and 4,524 manuscripts. Captured during the Thirty Years War, much of it was taken as a war prize by Bacimilian of Bavaria and donated to the Vatican in Rome.

Some of the newer buildings of the university can be seen from the original quadrangle (while the actual “New Campus” is located in the Neurnheimer Feld district in another part of the city).

Hidden along the edge of the parking lot of the building in the previous picture is this plaque to Martin Luther’s defense of his 28 Theses.

On May 10, 1933, the Third Reich promoted the burning of books they felt were subversive. This took place at 34 locations around Germany, including in the Univerdity of Heidelberg’s square.

Originally the stables for the university, this building now houses a student dining facility, what we would call the Student Union.

Open to the public, the choices are plentiful and the prices reasonable .

Rivers! Throughout recorded history, they have been the life blood of civilization. Most major settlements around the world began beside a river. Early explorers would navigate upstream in search of a suitable spot to establish a colony. Besides allowing for transportation of supplies to keep the settlements going, rivers also provided for a semblance of security (providing a barrier on at least one side of the colony).
And, so it was with the Neckar river, along which the city of Heidelberg was established. This 225 mile long waterway, a major tributary of the Rhine River, and the fourth largest in Germany, allowed for Black Forest timber, harvested at the river’s source 2100 feet above sea level, to be rafted downstream to markets since the 1100’s.
The word “Neckar” derived from the Celtic “Nikros” meaning “wild warer.” Boats drawn along the Neckar by horses in earlier centuries were replaced by steam-powered chain boats (a 110 mile long looped chain system laid in the river to provide propulsion for the boats) during the 19th century. A series of 27 locks allowed cargo ships to traverse 120 miles up the Neckar from the Rhine River. By the end of the 19th century, timber transportation was accomplished by railroads (faster and cheaper) rather than along the River.
During the Middle Ages, German royalty had built castles above the river ‘s banks, ostensibly to protect merchant ships from pirates...for a toll, of course. The actual existence of pirates along the Neckar was always in question, but that did not prevent the collection of the tolls (capitalization at work). Today, tourist boats exploring the many historic castles of the Neckar far outnumber cargo vessels.

One of the more popular views of the Neckar River, as it passes through the city, is from the Heidelberg Castle.

The river meanders through the German countryside, from its source in the Black Forest, 225 miles down to where it intersects with the Rhine River.

Along the way, the river passes interesting architecture...

...and historic castles.

The river rises a total of 2100 feet from its low point at the Rhine River junction, to its height at its source up in the Black Forest.

A system of 27 locks aide vessels I make the climb while traveling up or down river.

The majority of the traffic on the river today consists of tourist boats.

As you can see, some of these tourist boats are quite long.

There always are a few hardy souls that decide to explore parts of the river on foot.

Situated along the north side of Heidelberg’s Old Town Hall is the second trade and agricultural market in Old Town (the first being Marketplatz in the center of Old Town); called “Kornmarkt.” Being just below Heidelberg’s Castle, this square provides some wonderful views of that landmark - as well as providing access to both a pedestrian walkway and a funicular up to the castle.
From the 13th century, this site was home to the Holy Spirit Hospital, until it was demolished in 1557 in order to create a dairy and herb market. At that time, it was known as “Neuer Market,” only to be changed to “Kornmarket” (date unknown).
One of the square’s main features is the Madonna statue created by Prince Elector Karl Phillip in 1718. On the western edge of the square is the Palais Prince Carl, Heidelberg’s leading hotel from 1788 until 1915 (today, it is an event venue).
Perhaps the best place for coffee and pastries is the Cafe Gundel along the eastern side of the square. This building was originally a house built in 1720, with the ground floor becoming a bakery by 1766. The Gundel family has run this bakery since 1896. As a master baker, the original Gundel developed his signature masterpiece, the “Kurfurstenkugel” (the “Prince Elector Ball”, a round donut-like ball containing chocolate and marzipan). Modeled from the children’s story, “The Frog Prince” (which he had been reading to his grandchildren), this delightful delicacy became a symbol of the love between King Frederick V and his wife, Elizabeth Stuart. This symbol is always sold in pairs, one dark chocolate and one white chocolate.
In 1939, Gundel catered the Hungarian exhibition at the New York World’s Fair. Today, the Cafe Gundel is run by Christian Gundel, the fourth family generation to do so.
If you ever visit Heidelberg, we strongly recommend exploring the Kornmakt and stop into the Cafe Gundel to sample their exquisite pasteries.
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Kornmarkt square, next to Heidelberg’s Old Town Hall was created in 1557 and offers spectacular views of the castle above it.

During 1788, in an effort to promote Catholicism, Prince Elector Karl Phillip commissioned this Madonna statue to be built in the middle of the square,

For 127 years, the Palais Prince Carl was Heidelberg’s premier hotel.

Archival print showing the Hotel on the edge of the Kornmarkt.

Today, the hotel’s primary function is to serve as an event venue.

Owned and operated by the Gundel family since 1896, Cafe Gundel, on the opposite side of the square from the hotel, and down a side street about 50 yards, is a landmark in its own right.

Many consider this the best coffee and bakery shop in Heidelberg.

Its signature masterpiece is the “Kurfurstenkugel” (Prince Elector Balls), in the center of the picture, made with white and dark chocolate. They are always sold in pairs to symbolize the love between King Frederick V and Elizabeth Stuart.

These delightful delicacies absolutely have to be sampled to be believed.

Situated on Old Town’s Main Street (Haupstrasse), along the western edge of Marketplatz, is one of the most photographed buildings in Heidelberg; the Hotel zum Ritter St. George. In English, “Ritter” means “Knight.” This name was given to the hotel because of a sign depicting St. George on its facade. Cloth merchant Carols Beiler, who had immigrated from France, built the hotel, to honor his wife Francina, in 1592, on top of an existing ground floor structure.
During the Thirty Years War (1618 to 1648), Heidelberg had been bombed and finally burned. The only building to escape unscathed was the hotel. The city was again destroyed during the Palatinate War of Succession (1689), with the hotel once again remaining undamaged. In 1693, Heidelberg was again destroyed (this time by the French) and miraculously, the hotel was not destroyed ( the owners probably should have renamed it after St. Christopher, the patron saint of good luck). For the next ten years, Heidelberg’s city council held its meetings in the hotel because the Town Hall had been destroyed.
Ownership of the hotel passed through several hands over the years; the Hormuth family bought it from Beiler and owned it for nearly one hundred years (after changing it into a tavern); In 1842, Philip Hormuth turned the structure back into a hotel; The Zeuner family bought it in 1904, selling it 31 years later to the Actien Brewery; It finally ended up being owned by Margaret and Georg Kuchelmeister.
​ What a wonderful landmark in the center of Heidelberg and well worth exploring.

Having survived three major conflicts without a scratch, the Hotel zum Ritter St. Georg is one of the top landmarks, and one of the most photographed buildings, in Heidelberg.

It takes its name from the St. George sign hanging from the facade.

Chisled into the face of the building are these likenesses of Carolyn’s and Francina Beiler, the original owners of the hotel.

The hotel as it looked in this 1900 photograph.

Entering the lobby, we felt we were walking back in time.

Much of the interior is decorated in the 16th century Renaissance style...

...complete with stain glass windows...

...even in the main dining room

Of course, the sleeping accommodations have been modernized.

Just a block or so north of Heidelberg’s Old Town Marketplatz, is one of the city’s best known landmarks; the Karl Theodore Bridge (also known as the “Old Bridge”). Spanning the Neckar River, the Bridge connects Old Town with the Neuenheim district on the opposite shore ( near the start of the equally famous “Philosopher’s Way”). Today’s bridge (built in 1788) is actually the ninth such structure over the river. The Romans built the first structure (a wooden pier bridge) during the first century CE. By the year 200, this wooden bridge was replaced with a stone structure. Following the collapse of the stone bridge (date unknown), Heidelberg went without a bridge for nearly a thousand years. Shortly after the official founding date of the city (1196), the third bridge was constructed, connecting Old Town’s Marketplatz with the Schonau Abbey (which was founded in 1142). Until1460, this served as the boundary between the Palatinate Electorate and that of the Mainz Electorate. With its gate at the southern end, this bridge became part of Heidelberg’s defensive wall. Ice flows destroyed this bridge, as well as the fourth, fifth, and sixth bridges (nasty stuff those ice flows). The seventh bridge (a covered one) survived past the Thirty Years War, only to be eventually destroyed by the French in 1689.
For the next twenty years, only pontoon bridges connected the two sides of the river. An eighth structure was constructed in 1706, but only lasted two years. The current (and ninth) bridge was built in 1788 - obviously of better construction since it has lasted 230 years.
At the Old Town end of the structure, the “Bridge Gate” protected the town’s main north entrance. While the bridges proper were decimated by ice flows over the years, the Gate always seemed to survive. Following the construction of the stone bridge, the Gate served as a guardhouse and jail. A spiral staircase in the eastern tower led to living quarters above the center arch. Three low-ceilinged rooms occupied the western tower and served as the jail. Currently, the Gate structure is not open to the public.
​ Located next to the Bridge Gate is a rather strange, or unique, “Bridge Monkey” bronze statue. There actually has been one form or another of this monkey statue here dating back to the fifteenth century. Legend states that this has been a symbol of mockery towards the opposite shore. By presenting its backside towards the Electorate of Mainz, the monkey statue was making it clear that the region’s power laid on the Heidelberg (Palatinate) side. One of the monkey’s hands holds a mirror, supposedly encouraging passersby to engage in self-reflection. Part of the Bridge Monkey’s myth claims that rubbing the mirror would bring good luck (an interesting superstition).

Standing at the Heidelberg Castle, we got a great view of the Old Bridge across the Neckar River.

Looking back towards Old Town from the Mainz side of the bridge, we got this picture of Bridge Gate with the castle in the left side background.

A spiral staircase in the eastern tower (left side) led to living quarters over the arch, while three small rooms served as a jail in the western tower (right side).

Once the bridges were made of stone, the Bridge Gate became part of Heidelberg’s defensive wall, proctecting the city’s main entrance into Marketplatz.

Since the 15th century, a Bridge Monkey statue has sat next to the Bridge Gate, mockingly symbolizing that the region’s true power was on the Heidelberg side of the river.

One of the unique features of the statue is that visitors can place their own heads into the Monkey’s head (not sure why it was designed this way?). We were not quite tall enough for our eyes to match up with those of the monkey. If we had been taller, or if there had been a step under the head, we would have lined up perfectly, and the mask effect would have been complete.

Next to the Bridge Monkey statue is a poem by Martin Zeiller. Translated, it says;
“Why are you staring at me?
Haven’t you seen the old monkey in Heidelberg?
Look around and you probably will see -
​ more monkeys like me!”

Tourists from all over the world visit this site. This poster on a wall next to the monkey statue depicts some of the languages to which the description of the statue and the associated poem have been translated.

While walking the “Philosopher’s Way” on the opposite of the river, we came to this fantastic view of the Old Bridge and the Old Town.