Old Town of Heidelberg

Most of Heidelberg’s old town consists of Baroque buildings, often erected on top of Gothic foundations that remained after the demolition efforts by the French. Most sights are also in a narrow strip on either side of the pedestrians-only Hauptstraße.

The Kornmarkt (Wheat Market), at the east end of town, is an open square with a statue of the Madonna dating back to 1718. The main reason to visit the square is for the clear view it affords of the Schloss towering above.

Adjacent to this square is the larger and more impressive Marktplatz (Market Square). The Heiliggeistkirche (Holy Ghost Church), 1398-1441, is 60 m (195 feet) long and, rare for a Gothic church, consistently 20-m (66 feet) wide although architectural techniques create the optical illusion that it gets wider toward the choir. It once housed the largest single library in the world, the Bibliotheka Palatina, until the books were carted off to the Vatican, never to return, during the Thirty Years’ War. The church, with the graves of the Prince Electors, was destroyed by the French at the end of the 17th century, but rebuilt shortly after. It was used by both the Lutheran and Roman Catholic congregations and a dividing wall remained in place until 1936. A dispute between the Lutheran community and the Catholic prince, who wanted sole use of the church as mausoleum for his family, ended with the prince moving his residence to nearby Mannheim in the early 18th century.

On the Hauptstraße side of the square is the famous Hotel Haus zum Ritter. It is the only Renaissance building in Heidelberg to have escaped the wrath of the French. Ironically, it was erected in 1592 by a French Huguenot who fled prosecution in France. It has been a guesthouse since 1703 and is still a popular place to sleep and eat.

On the northern side of the Heiliggeistkirche is the Fischmarkt (Fish Market) with a fountain. Also note the small stalls built into the walls of the church as was common since at least medieval times. From here, Steingasse leads to the Neckar River and the Alte Brücke (Old Bridge), which is guarded by the Brückentor (Bridge Gate). Prince Carl Theodor had the stone bridge erected in 1788 to replace earlier wooden ones – high-water levels are indicated on the second arch. Several statues adorn the bridge, including one with Carl Theodor surrounded by the water gods of the Rhine, Danube, Neckar, and Mosel. The bridge is a good place to view and photograph the castle and old town. For even better views, cross the bridge and follow the steep Schlangenweg to Philosophenweg (Philosophers’ Way), which, halfway up Heilgenberg, runs parallel to the Neckar River.

The Baroque Alte Universität (Old University), Universitätsplatz 1, was erected in 1711 to bring all the different parts of the university together in a central location. Nowadays the university has 30,000 students but, apart from the humanities, all faculties have relocated to the newer parts of town. The 19th-century aula (hall) is decorated in grand, Historicist style typical for the period.

Most popular with tourists, however, is the graffiti-filled Studentenkarzer (Students’ Prison), Augustinergasse 2. From 1778 until 1914, it was used to imprison students up to two weeks, mostly for small offenses such as public drunkenness. The first couple of days the prisoners had to survive on bread and water but, after that, visits and better food were possible.

The eclectic collection of the Kurpfälzisches Museum (Electoral Palatinate Museum), Haupstraße 97, 06221-583-402, is well worth seeing. A cast of the jaw of Homo Heidelbergensis, who roamed the region 600,000 years ago, is a star attraction. Notable art works include the Windsheim altarpiece of the Twelve Apostles by Tilman Riemenschneider and a large collection of Romantic period paintings featuring Heidelberg.