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.
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.
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