Heidelberg Castle

Heidelberg Castle

A romantic ruin above the Neckar

High on a wooded hillside above the old city of Heidelberg and the river Neckar stand the majestic ruins of Heidelberg Castle, glowing in warm red sandstone. Part palace, part fortress and part beautiful ruin, it is one of the most famous and beloved castles in Germany, drawing visitors and inspiring poets, painters and dreamers for more than two centuries.

Seat of the Electors Palatine

Heidelberg Castle was the grand residence of the Electors Palatine, powerful princes who ruled a large territory and were among the most important figures in the Holy Roman Empire — indeed, they were among the small group of electors who chose the emperor himself.

Over the centuries, from the 1300s to the 1600s, the electors built and rebuilt the castle, adding splendid Renaissance palace wings decorated with fine carving. At its height, Heidelberg was one of the most magnificent castle-palaces in Germany, a centre of art, learning and courtly life.

War, lightning and ruin

The castle's glory did not last. In the late 1600s, during wars with France, Heidelberg was captured and its castle deliberately wrecked, its towers blown up with gunpowder. One great round tower was split clean in two, and half of it still leans dramatically against the rest — a famous sight.

Later, as the castle was being slowly repaired, it was struck by lightning and burned again. After that, the electors gave up and moved their court elsewhere, leaving Heidelberg as a magnificent ruin.

The birthplace of Romanticism

Strangely, the castle's destruction made it more famous, not less. In the late 1700s and 1800s, the age of Romanticism, people fell in love with beautiful ruins as symbols of the passage of time and the power of nature and history. The dramatic ruins of Heidelberg, above their lovely old town and river, became one of the great inspirations of the Romantic movement.

Poets wrote about it, painters painted it, and travellers flocked to see it. Heidelberg became a symbol of German Romanticism itself.

Wonders of the castle

Among the castle's many features is the famous Heidelberg Tun, an enormous wine barrel — one of the largest ever built — big enough to dance on top of. The castle's terraces offer some of the finest views in Germany, over the red rooftops of the old city, the river and the surrounding hills.

Visiting today

Visitors can explore the romantic ruins, see the great split tower and the giant wine barrel, and enjoy the spectacular views over Heidelberg from the terraces. A funicular railway carries visitors up the hillside, and the beautiful old university city below is a delight to explore. Majestic, romantic and steeped in history, Heidelberg Castle is one of the most beloved sights in all of Germany.