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Heidelberg Castle (german: Heidelberger Schloss) is a ruin in Germany and landmark of
Heidelberg Heidelberg (; Palatine German: ') is a city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Neckar in south-west Germany. As of the 2016 census, its population was 159,914, of which roughly a quarter consisted of students ...
. 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 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. File:Schlossbeleuchtung 10.jpg, alt=, Heidelberg Castle and Old Bridge by night File:Heidelberg Altstadt Schloss Luftbild.JPG, alt=, Heidelberg, aerial view of the old town with the Castle. File:Heidelberg Schloss Luftbild.JPG, alt=, Heidelberg Castle, aerial view of the site. File:HeidelbergSchloss2018-03-14-14-10-32.jpg, alt=, Heidelberg Castle, aerial view of the site.


History


Before destruction


Early history

Heidelberg was first mentioned in 1196 as "Heidelberch". In 1155 Conrad of Hohenstaufen was made the
Count Palatine A count palatine (Latin ''comes palatinus''), also count of the palace or palsgrave (from German ''Pfalzgraf''), was originally an official attached to a royal or imperial palace or household and later a nobleman of a rank above that of an ord ...
by his half-brother
Frederick Barbarossa Frederick Barbarossa (December 1122 – 10 June 1190), also known as Frederick I (german: link=no, Friedrich I, it, Federico I), was the Holy Roman Emperor from 1155 until his death 35 years later. He was elected King of Germany in Frankfurt ...
, and the region became known as the Electoral Palatinate. The claim that Conrad's main residence was on the Schlossberg (Castle Hill), known as the Jettenbühl, cannot be substantiated. The name "Jettenbühl" comes from the soothsayer Jetta, who was said to have lived there. She is also associated with Wolfsbrunnen (Wolf's Spring) and the Heidenloch (Heathens' Well). The first mention of a castle in Heidelberg (Latin: "''castrum in Heidelberg cum burgo ipsius castri''") is in 1214, when
Louis I, Duke of Bavaria Louis I (german: Ludwig; 23 December 1173 – 15 September 1231), called the Kelheimer or of Kelheim, since he was born and died at Kelheim, was the Duke of Bavaria from 1183 and Count Palatine of the Rhine from 1214. He was a son of Otto I ...
of the House of Wittelsbach received it from
Hohenstaufen The Hohenstaufen dynasty (, , ), also known as the Staufer, was a noble family of unclear origin that rose to rule the Duchy of Swabia from 1079, and to royal rule in the Holy Roman Empire during the Middle Ages from 1138 until 1254. The dynas ...
Emperor
Friedrich II Frederick II, Frederik II or Friedrich II may refer to: * Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor (1194–1250), King of Sicily from 1198; Holy Roman Emperor from 1220 * Frederick II of Denmark (1534–1588), king of Denmark and Norway 1559–1588 * Fred ...
. The last mention of a single castle is in 1294. In another document from 1303, two castles are mentioned for the first time: * The upper castle on Kleiner Gaisberg Mountain, near today's Hotel Molkenkur (destroyed in 1537); * The lower castle on the Jettenbühl (the present castle site). All that is known about the founding of the lower castle is that it took place sometime between 1294 and 1303. The oldest documented references to Heidelberg Castle are found during the 1600s: * The Thesaurus Pictuarum of the Palatinate church counsel Markus zum Lamb (1559 to 1606); * The ''"Annales Academici Heidelbergenses"'' by the Heidelberg librarian and professor Pithopoeus (started in 1587); * The ''"Originum Palatinarum Commentarius"'' by Marquard Freher (1599); * The ''"Teutsche Reyssebuch"'' by Martin Zeiller (Strasbourg 1632, reprinted in 1674 as the "''Itinerarium Germaniae''"). All of these works are for the most part superficial and do not contain much information. In 1615, Merian's ''Topographia Palatinatus Rheni'' described Prince Elector Ludwig V as he ''"started building a new castle one hundred and more years ago"''. Most of the descriptions of the castle up until the 18th century are based on Merian's information. Under Ruprecht I, the court chapel was erected on the Jettenbühl.


Palace of kings

When Ruprecht became the King of Germany in 1401, the castle was so small that on his return from his coronation, he had to camp out in the Augustinians' monastery, on the site of today's University Square. What he desired was more space for his entourage and court and to impress his guests, but also additional defences to turn the castle into a fortress. After Ruprecht's death in 1410, his land was divided between his four sons. The Palatinate, the heart of his territories, was given to the eldest son, Ludwig III. Ludwig was the representative of the emperor and the supreme judge, and it was in this capacity that he, after the Council of Constance in 1415 and at the behest of Emperor Sigismund, held the deposed Antipope John XXIII in custody before he was taken to Burg Eichelsheim (today Mannheim-Lindenhof). On a visit to Heidelberg in 1838, the French author
Victor Hugo Victor-Marie Hugo (; 26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885) was a French Romantic writer and politician. During a literary career that spanned more than sixty years, he wrote in a variety of genres and forms. He is considered to be one of the great ...
took particular pleasure in strolling among the ruins of the castle. He summarised its history in this letter: File:Heidelberger Schloss im 16 Jh aus Thesaurus Pictuarum.jpg, The castle as it appears in the ''Thesaurus Pictuarum'', circa 16th century. File:Heidelberger Schloss Neckar Alte Bruecke Heilgigeistkirche von Matthaeus Merian (Ausschnitt).jpg, The castle and town, by Matthäus Merian. File:Befestigungsplan des Heidelberger Schlosses 1622 von Anonymus.jpg, Plan of the Castle and its Defenses from 1622. File:Hortus Palatinus und Heidelberger Schloss von Jacques Fouquiere.jpg, Castle with the '' Hortus Palatinus'', circa 1650. File:Heidelberger Schloss von William Turner 1844 1845.jpg, Romantic painting by
J. M. W. Turner Joseph Mallord William Turner (23 April 177519 December 1851), known in his time as William Turner, was an English Romantic painter, printmaker and watercolourist. He is known for his expressive colouring, imaginative landscapes and turbul ...
depicting the castle. File:Heidelberg Schloss Plan MK1888.png, Castle floor plan, 1888. File:Christian Philipp Köster - Blick auf Heidelberg und das Heidelberger Schloss - 1438 - Staatliche Kunsthalle Karlsruhe.jpg, alt=, Christian Philipp Köster - Blick auf Heidelberg und das Heidelberger Schloss - 1438 - Staatliche Kunsthalle Karlsruhe


Reformation and the Thirty Years Wars

It was during the reign of Louis V, Elector Palatine (1508–1544) that
Martin Luther Martin Luther (; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, theologian, author, hymnwriter, and professor, and Augustinian friar. He is the seminal figure of the Protestant Reformation and the namesake of Lutherani ...
came to Heidelberg to defend one of his theses (
Heidelberg Disputation The Heidelberg Disputation was held at the lecture hall of the Augustinian order on April 26, 1518. It was here that Martin Luther, as a delegate for his order, began to have occasion to articulate his views. In the defense of his theses, which c ...
) and paid a visit to the castle. He was shown around by Louis's younger brother, Wolfgang, Count Palatine, and in a letter to his friend George Spalatin praises the castle's beauty and its defenses. In 1619, Protestants rebelling against the Holy Roman Empire offered the crown of
Bohemia Bohemia ( ; cs, Čechy ; ; hsb, Čěska; szl, Czechy) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. Bohemia can also refer to a wider area consisting of the historical Lands of the Bohemian Crown ruled by the Bohem ...
to
Frederick V, Elector Palatine Frederick V (german: link=no, Friedrich; 26 August 1596 – 29 November 1632) was the Elector Palatine of the Rhine in the Holy Roman Empire from 1610 to 1623, and reigned as King of Bohemia from 1619 to 1620. He was forced to abdicate bo ...
who accepted despite misgivings and in doing so triggered the outbreak of the
Thirty Years War The Thirty Years' War was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history, lasting from 1618 to 1648. Fought primarily in Central Europe, an estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died as a result of battl ...
. It was during the Thirty Years War that arms were raised against the castle for the first time. This period marks the end of the castle's construction; the centuries to follow brought with them destruction and rebuilding.


Destruction

After his defeat at the Battle of White Mountain on 8 November 1620, Frederick V was on the run as an outlaw and had to release his troops prematurely, leaving the Palatinate undefended against General Tilly, the supreme commander of the Imperial and Holy Roman Empire's troops. On 26 August 1622, Tilly commenced his attack on Heidelberg, taking the town on 16 September, and the castle a few days later. When the Swedes captured Heidelberg on 5 May 1633 and opened fire on the castle from the Königstuhl hill behind it, Tilly handed over the castle. The following year, the emperor's troops tried to recapture the castle, but it was not until July 1635 that they succeeded. It remained in their possession until the Peace of Westphalia ending the Thirty Years War was signed. The new ruler, Charles Louis (Karl Ludwig) and his family did not move into the ruined castle until 7 October 1649.
Victor Hugo Victor-Marie Hugo (; 26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885) was a French Romantic writer and politician. During a literary career that spanned more than sixty years, he wrote in a variety of genres and forms. He is considered to be one of the great ...
summarized these and the following events:


Nine Years' War

After the death of Charles II, Elector Palatine, the last in line of the House of Palatinate-Simmern,
Louis XIV Louis XIV (Louis Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was List of French monarchs, King of France from 14 May 1643 until his death in 1715. His reign of 72 years and 110 days is the Li ...
of France demanded the surrender of the allodial title in favor of the Duchess of Orléans, Elizabeth Charlotte, Princess Palatine who he claimed was the rightful heir to the Simmern lands. On 29 September 1688, the French troops marched into the
Palatinate of the Rhine The Electoral Palatinate (german: Kurpfalz) or the Palatinate (), officially the Electorate of the Palatinate (), was a state that was part of the Holy Roman Empire. The electorate had its origins under the rulership of the Counts Palatine of ...
and on 24 October moved into Heidelberg, which had been deserted by Philipp Wilhelm, the new Elector Palatine from the line of
Palatinate-Neuburg Palatinate-Neuburg (german: Herzogtum Pfalz-Neuburg) was a territory of the Holy Roman Empire, founded in 1505 by a branch of the House of Wittelsbach. Its capital was Neuburg an der Donau. Its area was about 2,750 km², with a population of ...
. At war against the allied European powers, France's war council decided to destroy all fortifications and to lay waste to the Palatinate ('' Brûlez le Palatinat!''), in order to prevent an enemy attack from this area. As the French withdrew from the castle on 2 March 1689, they set fire to it and blew the front off the Fat Tower. Portions of the town were also burned, but the mercy of a French general,
René de Froulay de Tessé René de Froulay, Comte de Tessé (14 May 1648 – 30 March 1725) was a French soldier and diplomat during the reign of Louis XIV and the 1715-1723 Regency. Early life René de Froulay, Comte de Tessé was born at the family home of the Chat ...
, who told the townspeople to set small fires in their homes to create smoke and the illusion of widespread burning, prevented wider destruction.Harry B. Davis: "What Happened in Heidelberg: From Heidelberg Man to the Present": Verlag Brausdruck GmbH, 1977. Immediately upon his accession in 1690,
Johann Wilhelm, Elector Palatine Johann Wilhelm II, Elector Palatine (''"Jan Wellem"'' in Low German, English: ''"John William"''; 19 April 1658 – 8 June 1716) of the Wittelsbach dynasty was Elector Palatine (1690–1716), Duke of Neuburg (1690–1716), Duke of Jülich ...
had the walls and towers rebuilt. When the French again reached the gates of Heidelberg in 1691 and 1692, the town's defenses were so good that they did not gain entry. On 18 May 1693 the French were yet again at the town's gates and took it on 22 May. However, they did not attain control of the castle and destroyed the town in attempt to weaken the castle's main support base. The castle's occupants capitulated the next day. Now the French took the opportunity to finish off the work started in 1689, after their hurried exit from the town. The towers and walls that had survived the last wave of destruction, were blown up with mines.


Removal of the court to Mannheim

In 1697 the Treaty of Ryswick was signed, marking the end of the War of the Grand Alliance and finally bringing peace to the town. Plans were made to pull down the castle and to reuse parts of it for a new palace in the valley. When difficulties with this plan became apparent, the castle was patched up. At the same time, Charles III Philip, Elector Palatine played with the idea of completely redesigning the castle, but shelved the project due to lack of funds. He did, however, install his favorite court jester, Perkeo of Heidelberg to famously watch over the castle's wine stock. Perkeo later became the unofficial mascot of the city. In 1720, Charles came into conflict with the town's Protestants as a result of fully handing over the Church of the Holy Spirit to the Catholics (it had previously been split by a partition and used by both congregations), the Catholic prince-elector moved his court to
Mannheim Mannheim (; Palatine German: or ), officially the University City of Mannheim (german: Universitätsstadt Mannheim), is the second-largest city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg after the state capital of Stuttgart, and Germany's ...
and lost all interest in the castle. When on 12 April 1720, Charles announced the removal of the court and all its administrative bodies to Mannheim, he wished that "Grass may grow on her streets". The religious conflict was probably only one reason for the move to Mannheim. In addition, converting the old-fashioned hill-top castle into a Baroque palace would have been difficult and costly. By moving down into the plain, the prince-elector was able to construct a new palace,
Mannheim Palace Mannheim Palace (german: Mannheimer Schloss) is a large Baroque palace in Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It was originally the main residence of the Prince-electors of the Electorate of the Palatinate of the House of Wittelsbach u ...
, that met his every wish. Karl Phillip's successor Karl Theodor planned to move his court back to Heidelberg Castle. However, on 24 June 1764, lightning struck the Saalbau (court building) twice in a row, again setting the castle on fire, which he regarded as a sign from heaven and changed his plans.
Victor Hugo Victor-Marie Hugo (; 26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885) was a French Romantic writer and politician. During a literary career that spanned more than sixty years, he wrote in a variety of genres and forms. He is considered to be one of the great ...
, who had come to love the ruins of the castle, also saw it as a divine signal: In the following decades, basic repairs were made, but Heidelberg Castle remained essentially a ruin.


Since destruction


Slow decay and Romantic enthusiasm

In 1777, Karl Theodor became ruler of Bavaria in addition to the Palatinate and removed his court from
Mannheim Mannheim (; Palatine German: or ), officially the University City of Mannheim (german: Universitätsstadt Mannheim), is the second-largest city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg after the state capital of Stuttgart, and Germany's ...
to
Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the third-largest city in Germany, after Berlin and ...
. Heidelberg Castle receded even further from his thoughts and the rooms which still had roofs were taken over by craftsmen. Even as early as 1767, the south wall was quarried for stone to build
Schwetzingen Castle Schwetzingen Palace is a schloss in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. Schwetzingen was the summer residence of the Electors Palatine Charles III Philip and Charles IV Theodore (of the House of Wittelsbach). It is situated in Schwetzingen, ...
. In 1784, the vaults in the Ottoheinrich wing were filled in, and the castle used as a source of building materials. As a result of the
German mediatisation German mediatisation (; german: deutsche Mediatisierung) was the major territorial restructuring that took place between 1802 and 1814 in Germany and the surrounding region by means of the mass mediatisation and secularisation of a large numbe ...
of 1803, Heidelberg and Mannheim became part of
Baden Baden (; ) is a historical territory in South Germany, in earlier times on both sides of the Upper Rhine but since the Napoleonic Wars only East of the Rhine. History The margraves of Baden originated from the House of Zähringen. Baden i ...
. Charles Frederick, Grand Duke of Baden welcomed the addition to his territory, although he regarded Heidelberg Castle as an unwanted addition. The structure was decaying and the townsfolk were helping themselves to stone, wood, and iron from the castle to build their own houses. The statuary and ornaments were also fair game. August von Kotzebue expressed his indignation in 1803 at the government of Baden's intention to pull down the ruins. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the ruined castle had become a symbol for the patriotic movement against
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader wh ...
. Even before 1800, artists had come to see the river, the hills and the ruins of the castle as an ideal ensemble. The best depictions are those of England's
J. M. W. Turner Joseph Mallord William Turner (23 April 177519 December 1851), known in his time as William Turner, was an English Romantic painter, printmaker and watercolourist. He is known for his expressive colouring, imaginative landscapes and turbul ...
, who stayed in Heidelberg several times between 1817 and 1844, and painted Heidelberg and the castle many times. He and his fellow Romantic painters were not interested in faithful portrayals of the building and gave artistic licence free rein. For example, Turner's paintings of the castle show it perched far higher up on the hill than it actually is. The saviour of the castle was the French count Charles de Graimberg. He fought the government of Baden, which viewed the castle as an "old ruin with a multitude of tasteless, crumbling ornaments", for the preservation of the building. Until 1822, he served as a voluntary castle warden, and lived for a while in the Glass Wing (Gläserner Saalbau), where he could keep an eye on the courtyard. Long before the origin of
historic preservation Historic preservation (US), built heritage preservation or built heritage conservation (UK), is an endeavor that seeks to preserve, conserve and protect buildings, objects, landscapes or other artifacts of historical significance. It is a philos ...
in Germany, he was the first person to take an interest in the conservation and documentation of the castle, which may never have occurred to any of the Romantics. Graimberg asked Thomas A. Leger to prepare the first castle guide. With his pictures of the castle, of which many copies were produced, Graimberg promoted the castle ruins and drew many tourists to the town.


Planning and restoration

The question of whether the castle should be completely restored was discussed for a long time. In 1868, the poet Wolfgang Müller von Königswinter argued for a complete reconstruction, leading to a strong backlash in public meetings and in the press. In 1883, the
Grand Duchy A grand duchy is a country or territory whose official head of state or ruler is a monarch bearing the title of grand duke or grand duchess. Relatively rare until the abolition of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, the term was often used in th ...
of
Baden Baden (; ) is a historical territory in South Germany, in earlier times on both sides of the Upper Rhine but since the Napoleonic Wars only East of the Rhine. History The margraves of Baden originated from the House of Zähringen. Baden i ...
established a "Castle field office", supervised by building director Josef Durm in
Karlsruhe Karlsruhe ( , , ; South Franconian: ''Kallsruh'') is the third-largest city of the German state (''Land'') of Baden-Württemberg after its capital of Stuttgart and Mannheim, and the 22nd-largest city in the nation, with 308,436 inhabitants. ...
, district building supervisor
Julius Koch Julius Koch (1872 – 30 March 1902), also known as ("Constantin the Giant"), was one of the tallest people ever. He suffered from gigantism, with an enlarged pituitary gland, testicular atrophy and lack of sexual development, and had trouble ...
and architect
Fritz Seitz Friedrich Seitz (12 June 1848, Günthersleben-Wechmar, Saxe-Coburg and Gotha – 22 May 1918) was a German Romantic Era composer. He was a violinist who served as a concertmaster, who wrote chamber music and eight student concertos for the vi ...
. The office made a detailed plan for preserving or repairing the main building. They completed their work in 1890, which led a commission of specialists from across Germany to decide that while a complete or partial rebuilding of the castle was not possible, it was possible to preserve it in its current condition. Only the Friedrich Building, whose interiors were fire damaged, but not ruined, would be restored. This reconstruction was done from 1897 to 1900 by Karl Schäfer at the enormous cost of 520,000 Marks.


Castle ruins and tourism

The oldest description of Heidelberg from 1465 mentions that the city is "frequented by strangers", but it did not really become a tourist attraction until the beginning of the 19th century. Count Graimberg made the castle a pervasive subject for pictures which became forerunners of the postcard. At the same time, the castle was also found on souvenir cups. Tourism received a big boost when Heidelberg was connected to the railway network in 1840.
Mark Twain Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, entrepreneur, publisher, and lecturer. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has pr ...
, the American author, described the Heidelberg Castle in his 1880 travel book ''
A Tramp Abroad ''A Tramp Abroad'' is a work of travel literature, including a mixture of autobiography and fictional events, by American author Mark Twain, published in 1880. The book details a journey by the author, with his friend Harris (a character created ...
'': In the 20th century, Americans spread Heidelberg's reputation outside Europe. Thus, Japanese also often visit the Heidelberg Castle during their trips to Europe. Heidelberg has, at the beginning of the 21st century, more than three million visitors a year and about 1,000,000 overnight stays. Most of the foreign visitors come either from the USA or Japan. The most important attraction, according to surveys by the Geographical Institute of the University of Heidelberg, is the castle with its observation terraces.


Reflections on the "Heidelberg Mythos"

The Heidelberg professor Ludwig Giesz wrote, in his 1960 essay titled ''"Phenomenology of the Kitsches"'', about the meaning of the ruins for tourism: Professor Ludwig Giesz goes further in his remarks about the ruins: Also Günter Heinemann raises the question of whether one could restore the Heidelberg Castle incompletely. Near the view from the Stück-garden over the deer moat (''Hirschgraben'') of the well-kept ruins of the castle interior, he asks himself whether one should not redevelop the whole area again.


Chronology

Timeline of events for Heidelberg Castle: * 1225: first documented mention as "Castrum". * 1303: mention of two castles. * 1537: destruction of the upper castle by lightning bolt. * 1610: creation of the palace garden ("'' Hortus Palatinus''"). * 1622: Tilly conquers city and castle in the
Thirty Years War The Thirty Years' War was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history, lasting from 1618 to 1648. Fought primarily in Central Europe, an estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died as a result of battl ...
. * 1642: renewal of the Castle plants. * 1688/1689: destruction by French troops. * 1693: renewed destruction in the Palatinate succession war. * 1697: (start) reconstruction. * 1720: transfer of the residence to Mannheim. * 1742: (start) reconstruction. * 1764: destruction by lightning bolt. * 1810: Charles de Graimberg dedicates himself to the preservation of the Castle ruins. * 1860: first Castle lighting. * 1883: establishment of the "office of building of castles of Baden." * 1890: stocktaking by Julius Koch and Fritz Seitz. * 1900: (circa) restorations and historical development.


Famous residents


The "Winter King" Frederick V

Frederick V, Elector Palatine Frederick V (german: link=no, Friedrich; 26 August 1596 – 29 November 1632) was the Elector Palatine of the Rhine in the Holy Roman Empire from 1610 to 1623, and reigned as King of Bohemia from 1619 to 1620. He was forced to abdicate bo ...
married the English king's daughter Elizabeth Stuart. The marriage involved great expense. Expensive festivities were organized and for them; he commissioned the Elizabeth gate at the piece garden be built. From October 1612 until April 1613, Frederick V spent nearly a half year in England, and though only 17 years old, thereby took up contact with important architects, who later undertook changes and new building plans for the Heidelberg Castle. Inigo Jones and Salomon de Caus, who knew each other well, stood in the service of the English king's court. Caus accompanied the newlyweds on their return journey to Heidelberg. Jones came to Heidelberg as well in June 1613. Very soon, the building of an enormous garden was tackled. However, the plants were intended for level ground, and the slope of the mountain had to be converted. First earth movements had to be achieved, which contemporaries regarded as the eighth wonder of the world. Under the rule of Frederick V, the Palatine sought Protestant supremacy in the
Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire was a political entity in Western, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its dissolution in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars. From the accession of Otto I in 962 unt ...
, which however ended in a debacle. After 1619, Frederick V—against the expressed advice of many counsellors—was chosen as the Bohemian king, he could not maintain the crown after he lost at the Battle of White Mountain (Bílá hora) (height 379m/1243 ft) against the troops of the Emperor and the Catholic League. He was mocked as the "Winter King" since his kingdom had lasted only somewhat more than one winter. With the
Thirty Years War The Thirty Years' War was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history, lasting from 1618 to 1648. Fought primarily in Central Europe, an estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died as a result of battl ...
, Frederick V entered another phase of his career: political refugee. As Frederick V left Heidelberg, it is said that his mother,
Louise Juliana of Nassau Louise Juliana of Orange-Nassau (31 March 1576 in Delft – 15 March 1644 in Königsberg) was a countess consort of the Palatinate by marriage to Frederick IV, Elector Palatine, and took part in the regency government of her son between 1610 and ...
proclaimed: "Oh, the Palatine is moving to Bohemia." After his escape to
Rhenen Rhenen () is a municipality and a city in the central Netherlands. The municipality also includes the villages of Achterberg, Remmerden, Elst and Laareind. The town lies at a geographically interesting location, namely on the southernmost pa ...
in the
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
, Emperor Ferdinand II in 1621 put the imperial ban on Friedrich ( Prince Electors). The Rhein Palatinate was transferred in 1623 to Duke Maximilian I of
Bavaria Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total l ...
, who also bought the Upper Palatinate from the emperor. In Rhenen, to the west of Arnhem, the family lived on saved public funds and the generous support of the English king, initially also of the Netherlands, united by the support of the government. For the remainder of his life, Frederick hoped to win back his position in the Palatinate, but he died in exile in 1632.


Elizabeth Charlotte, Princess Palatine

Elizabeth Charlotte, Princess Palatine was the duchess of
Orléans Orléans (;"Orleans"
(US) and
Louis XIV Louis XIV (Louis Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was List of French monarchs, King of France from 14 May 1643 until his death in 1715. His reign of 72 years and 110 days is the Li ...
of France. When the
Palatinate-Simmern The House of Palatinate-Simmern (german: Pfalz-Simmern) was a German- Bavarian cadet branch of the House of Wittelsbach. The house was one of the collateral lineages of the Palatinate. The Palatinate line of the House of Wittelsbach was divided ...
branch of the Wittelbachs died out, Louis XIV laid claim to the Palatinate and started the War of the Grand Alliance, which laid waste to the Palatine. Liselotte, as she is affectionately known, was forced to look on helplessly as her country was ravaged in her name. Liselotte, granddaughter of Frederick V, was born in Heidelberg Castle and grew up at her aunt
Sophia of Hanover Sophia of Hanover (born Princess Sophia of the Palatinate; 14 October 1630 – 8 June 1714) was the Electress of Hanover by marriage to Elector Ernest Augustus and later the heiress presumptive to the thrones of England and Scotland (later Gre ...
's court in Hanover. She often returned to Heidelberg with her father. At the age of 19, she was wedded for political reasons to the brother of the king of France. It was not a happy marriage. When her brother Charles died without issue, Louis XIV claimed the Palatinate for himself and declared war on her. Liselotte wrote in a letter to her aunt Sophia in Hanover: : "So I judge that papa must not have understood the magnitude of the matter of signing me over; but I was a burden to him and he was worried that I would become an old maid, so got rid of me as quickly as he was able. That was to be my fate." Even after thirty-six years in France, she still thought of Heidelberg as her home, and wrote in a letter to Marie Luise von Degenfeld: : "Why does the prince elector not have the castle rebuilt? It would certainly be worth it." The House of Orléans is descended from the children of Liselotte and Philipp, which came to the French throne in 1830 in the person of
Louis-Philippe of France Louis Philippe (6 October 1773 – 26 August 1850) was King of the French from 1830 to 1848, and the penultimate monarch of France. As Louis Philippe, Duke of Chartres, he distinguished himself commanding troops during the Revolutionary Wa ...
. Liselotte is estimated to have written 60,000 letters, around one-tenth of which, survive to this day. The letters are penned in French and German and describe very vividly life at the French court. Most of them she wrote to her aunt Sophia and her half-sister Marie-Luise, but she also corresponded with Gottfried Leibniz. Liselotte's upbringing was rather bourgeois.
Charles I Louis, Elector Palatine Charles Louis, Elector Palatine (german: Karl I. Ludwig; 22 December 1617 – 28 August 1680), was the second son of Frederick V of the Palatinate, the "Winter King" of Bohemia, and of Elizabeth Stuart, Queen of Bohemia and sister of Char ...
loved to play with his children in the town of Heidelberg and to go for walks along the slopes of the hills of the Odenwald. Liselotte, who later described herself as a "lunatic bee" (German: "dolle Hummel"), rode her horse at a gallop over the hills round Heidelberg and enjoyed her freedom. She often slipped out of the castle early in the morning to climb a cherry tree and gorge herself with cherries. In 1717, looking back on her childhood in Heidelberg, she wrote:


Charles de Graimberg

The French ''Kupferstecher'' (copperplate engraver) Count Charles de Graimberg fled the French Revolution and emigrated with his family to England. He applied in 1810 to
Karlsruhe Karlsruhe ( , , ; South Franconian: ''Kallsruh'') is the third-largest city of the German state (''Land'') of Baden-Württemberg after its capital of Stuttgart and Mannheim, and the 22nd-largest city in the nation, with 308,436 inhabitants. ...
, in order to begin training with the Hofkupferstecher of Baden, Christian Haldenwang, who was a friend and neighbour of Graimberg's brother Louis. After Graimberg went to
Heidelberg Heidelberg (; Palatine German: ') is a city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Neckar in south-west Germany. As of the 2016 census, its population was 159,914, of which roughly a quarter consisted of students ...
to sketch the Castle for a landscape, he stayed for the remaining 54 years of his life. With his copper passes of the Castle ruins, he documented its condition and put the foundation-stone for the Roman Castle, which should protect the ruin against final decay. In his house (today: Palace Graimberg, at the beginning of the footpath to the Castle) he developed a curiosity cabinet with pieces of find from the Castle, which later became the basic pieces of the Kurpfälzisches Museum. He, by the way, financed his collection "of the Altertümer" for the history of the city and the Castle, from his own fortune. It is due to him that the Castle still stands. He accomplished also the first historical excavations in the Castle and lived a time long in the Castle yard, in order to prevent that the citizens of Heidelberg take building material for their houses from the Castle out-fallow. In order Graimberg's wrote Thomas A. Leger's the first sources written on the basis written Castle leader. A copy of this leader from that 1836 "Le guide des voyageurs dans la ruine de Heidelberg " ("Guide for travellers in the ruins of the Heidelberger Castle"), was acquired by Victor Hugo during his stay in Heidelberg. This copy provided with notes is issued today in "the Maison de Victor Hugo" in Paris. Of Charles de Graimberg reminds an honour board, which was attached 1868 at the passage to the Altan: "The memory of Karl count von Graimberg, born in Castle of Paars (near Château-Thierry) in France 1774, died in Heidelberg 1864. Heidelberg castle is home to the largest wine keg in the world!"


Building


Forecourt

The forecourt is the area enclosed between the main gate, the upper prince's well, the Elisabeth gate, the castle gate and the entrance to the garden. Around 1800 it was used by the overseer for drying laundry. Later on it was used for grazing cattle, and chickens and geese were kept here.


Building Parts


''Ruprechtsbau'', Ruprecht's Wing

File:Ralf Kuhlen Heidelberg Castle Ruprechtsbau 2021.jpg, alt=, View of Ruprechtsbau from the courtyard File:Ruprechtsbau Heidelberger Schloss vom Stueckgarten.jpg, alt=, View of Ruprechtsbau from the west File:20180810Ruprechtsbau2.jpg, alt=, Ruprechtsbau from west


''Bibliotheksbau'', Library Building

File:Schloss Heidelberg - Bibliotheksbau Hofseite (7568741982).jpg, alt=, Bibliotheksbau Hofseite File:Courtyard facade of Bibliotheksbau - Heidelberg Castle - Heidelberg - Germany 2017 (detail).jpg, alt=, Courtyard facade of Bibliotheksbau, bay window File:Schloss Heidelberg - Bibliotheksbau Grabenseite (7568738892).jpg, alt=, Schloss Heidelberg - Bibliotheksbau Grabenseite


''Frauenzimmerbau'', Ladies’ Wing

File:Frauenzimmerbau - Heidelberg Castle - Heidelberg - Germany 2017.jpg, alt=, Frauenzimmerbau from the courtyard File:20180810Frauenzimmerbau.jpg, alt=, Frauenzimmerbau


''Englischer Bau'', English Wing

File:Englischer Bau Heidelberg 1645 von Merian.jpg, alt=, Englischer Bau Heidelberg 1645 von Merian File:Heidelberg - castle 2.JPG, alt=, Englischer Bau File:Teil des Heidelberger Schlosses.JPG, alt=


''Friedrichsbau'', Friedrich's Wing

The building standing on the site of the Friedrichsbau contained the court chapel. However, since there were severe structural damages which could not be repaired according to the experts , Elector Friedrich IV had the residential building erected between 1601 and 1607. Johannes Schoch (ca. 1550-1631) was the architect of the building. The facades were endowed with the statues of the electors’ ancestors – which was a familiar concept given the Ottheinrich's wing. Sebastian Götz from Chur (ca. 1575 – post-1621) was the main sculptor working with Schoch.   Friedrich's wing houses the court chapel on the ground floor and the prince's apartment on the upper levels.   Although there were two significant fires in 1693 and 1764, it is the best preserved building part of the castle. From 1890 to 1900, the Friedrichsbau was fundamentally renovated in the ‘historicist style’ according to the designs of the Karlsruhe professor Carl Schäfer. The present form of the roof and the room furnishings on second and third floors are among the implementations of this renovation. File:Schlsos Heidelberg, Friedrichsbau, from Thesaurus Picturarum.jpg, alt=, Schlsos Heidelberg, Friedrichsbau, from Thesaurus Picturarum, ca. 1601 File:Friedrichsbau Heidelberg 1645 von Merian.jpg, alt=, Friedrichsbau Heidelberg 1645 von Merian


''Gläserner Saalbau'', Hall of Glass

File:Julia Haseloff Heidelberg Glaserner Saalbau 2013.jpg, alt=, View of the Gläserner Saalbau, Hall of Glass in the middle, taken from the courtyard File:Gläserner Saalbau - Heidelberg Castle - Heidelberg - Germany 2017 (2).jpg, alt=, Gläserner Saalbau - Heidelberg Castle File:Balconies - Gläserner Saalbau - Heidelberg Castle - Heidelberg - Germany 2017.jpg, alt=, Balconies - Gläserner Saalbau - Heidelberg Castle - File:Günther Bayerl Heidelberg Castle 2015.jpg, alt=, view of courtyard through the arcaded balconies of the Hall of Glass


''Ottheinrichsbau'', Ottheinrich's Wing

File:Günther Bayerl Heidelberg, Ottheinrichsbau 2015.jpg, alt=, View of Ottheinrichsbau courtyard facade File:Gezicht op Schloss Ottheinrichsbau in Heidelberg Heidelberg. Otto-Heinrichsbau (titel op object), RP-F-00-1025.jpg, alt=, Gezicht op Schloss Ottheinrichsbau in Heidelberg Heidelberg File:Gebrüder Bisson - Der Ottheinrichsbau des Heidelberger Schlosses (Zeno Fotografie).jpg, alt=, Gebrüder Bisson - Der Ottheinrichsbau des Heidelberger Schlosses File:Façade van het Schloss Ottheinrichsbau, onderdeel van Schloss Heidelberg, RP-F-00-4309.jpg, alt=, Façade van het Schloss Ottheinrichsbau, onderdeel van Schloss Heidelberg File:Kaisersaal Otto Heinrichsbau (Karl Pfaff) 1895.jpg, alt=, Kaisersaal Otto Heinrichsbau 1895 File:Ralf Kuhlen Heidelberg Castle Ottheinrichsbau 2021.jpg, alt=, Interior view


''Ludwigsbau'', Ludwig's Wing


''Ökonomiebau'', Economy Wing


''Sattelkammer'', Coach house and stables


''Torturm'', Gate Tower

The approach to the forecourt takes you across a stone bridge, over a partially filled-in ditch. The main gate was built in 1528. The original watchhouse was destroyed in the War of the Grand Alliance and replaced in 1718 by a round-arched entrance gate. The gate to the left of the main entrance was closed by means of a drawbridge.


''Dicke Turm'', Thick Tower


''Glockenturm'', Bell Tower  


''Apothekerturm'', Apothecary's tower


''Krautturm/Pulverturm'', Powder Tower/Exploded Tower


''Elisabethentor'', Elizabeth Gate


Courtyard and the Gardens


Other monuments within the site


Goethe memorial tablet

In 1961 a stone tablet was erected on a ruined wall of the aviary to replace an older tablet. The inscription on the tablet includes verses by Marianne von Willemer reflecting on her last meeting with Johann Wolfgang Goethe written on 28 August 1824, on the occasion of Goethe's 75th birthday. : ''"On the terrace a high vaulted arch'' : ''was once your coming and going'' : ''the code pulled from the beloved hand'' : ''I found her not, she is no longer to be seen"'' : ... : ''This poem written by Marianne von Willemer'' : ''in remembrance of her last meeting with'' : ''Goethe in the Fall of the year 1815'' Directly across from the Goethe memorial tablet, stands the Ginkgo tree, from which Goethe gave a leaf to Marianne von Willemer as a symbol of friendship. The poem was published later as "''Suleika''" in West-östlicher Diwan. The text of the poem begins: The letter containing this poem with which Goethe included two Ginkgo leaves can be viewed in the Goethe Museum in
Düsseldorf Düsseldorf ( , , ; often in English sources; Low Franconian and Ripuarian: ''Düsseldörp'' ; archaic nl, Dusseldorp ) is the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state of Germany. It is the second-largest city in ...
. The Ginkgo, planted in 1795, that Goethe lead Marianne von Willemer to in September 1815, is no longer standing today. Since 1928 the Ginkgo tree in the castle garden was labelled that it was "the same tree that inspired Goethe to create his fine poem". The tree was probably still standing in 1936.


Harness room

The former harness room, originally a coach house, was in reality begun as a fortification. After the
Thirty Years War The Thirty Years' War was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history, lasting from 1618 to 1648. Fought primarily in Central Europe, an estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died as a result of battl ...
it was used as a stables as well as a toolshed, garage and carriage house.


Upper Prince's Fountain

The Upper Prince's Fountain was designed and built during the reign of Prince Karl Philipp. Over the gate to the fountain house is his monogram with the date 1738 chiseled in the stone. On the right side of the stairway to the fountain is the following inscription: : lreCtioneALeXanDro Blblena CVra et opera HenrICl Neeb Fons hIC PrInCIpaLIs reparat(Vs) PVrIor sCatVrlt : (Translation: This work was undertaken under the oversight of Alessandro Galli da Bibiena and Heinrich Neeb.) The inscription was a chronogram for the date 1741. Through this fountain and the Lower Prince's Fountain were the water needs of the Prince's residences in Mannheim met until into the 19th century. In 1798, Johann Andreas von Traitteur recalled this water transport: Quote from Hans Weckesser: "''Beloved Water Tower. The History of Mannheim's landmarks''" The water quality in Mannheim was so bad, that upper-class families of the court financed this transport of water from Heidelberg to Mannheim. In the princely residence, until 1777 there was a court position titled "''Heidelberg Water-filler''".


See also

* Hortus Palatinus – ''the Heidelberg Castle gardens'' * Garden à la française *
Heidelberg Tun The Heidelberg Tun (german: Großes Fass), or Great Heidelberg Tun, is an extremely large wine vat contained within the cellars of Heidelberg Castle. There have been four such barrels in the history of Heidelberg. In 1751, the year of its construc ...


Further reading

* Victor Hugo: ''"Heidelberg"'' of Frankfurt am Main: Societäts-Verlag, 2003, . * Harry B. Davis: "What Happened in Heidelberg: From Heidelberg Man to the Present": Verlag Brausdruck GmbH, 1977.


References


Literature

Roux, Jacob Wilhelm Christian: Six views of Heidelberg and its castle / drawn and engraved by Prof. Roux. Together with a short text by A. Schreiber. Heidelberg: Engelmann, 1826. Metzger, Johann: Beschreibung des Heidelberger Schlosses und Gartens : nach gründlichen Untersuchungen und den vorzüglichsten Nachrichten bearbeitet. Heidelberg: Osswald, 1829. Metzger, Johann: An historical description of the Castle of Heidelberg and its gardens: composed from careful researches and authentic accounts. Heidelberg: Meder, 1830.    Chézy, Helmina von: Manual for travellers to Heidelberg and its environs : a guide for foreigners and natives; with an appendix and the panorama of the Heidelberg castle, maps and plans. 3. ed. of the description of Heidelberg, Mannheim etc.. Heidelberg: Engelmann, 1838. Hugo, Victor, Heidelberg, Frankfurt am Main, 2003 (1840). Richard-Janillon, Vincent d. Wanderings through the ruins of Heidelberg Castle and its environs. rom the German by H. J. Grainger Heidelberg, 1858 Heidelberger Schlossverein rsg.br>Mitteilungen zur Geschichte des Heidelberger Schlosses
1885-86. Woerl, Leo. Woerl's Manuals of Travel. Heidelberg Castle and Neighborhood. Wurzburg .a. 1889. Heidelberger Schlossverein rsg.Mitteilungen zur Geschichte des Heidelberger Schlosses — 3.1896 https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2905.11 Waldschmidt, Wolfram: Altheidelberg und sein Schloß : Kulturbilder aus dem Leben der Pfalzgrafen bei Rhein Jena: Diederich, 1909. Sauer, Fritz: Das Heidelberger Schloß im Spiegel der Literatur : eine Studie über die entwicklungsgeschichtlichen Phasen seiner Betrachtungsweise. Heidelberg: Winter, 1910. Cohn HJ. The Early Renaissance Court in Heidelberg. European Studies Review. 1971;1(4):295-322. doi:10.1177/026569147100100401 Baier, Hermann, Heidelberg Castle: A Guide Through Historical Places, 1974. Davis, Harry B.: "What Happened in Heidelberg: From Heidelberg Man to the Present". 1977. Sauer, Willi: Heidelberg : a guide to town and castle. Heidelberg: von König, 1979 Hitchcock, Henry Russell: German Renaissance architecture. Princeton, NJ: Princeton Univ. Press, 1981.   Müller, Jan-Dirk, Der siegreiche Fürst im Entwurf der Gelehrten, in, Buck, Augus (ed.), Höfischer Humanismus, Weinheim 1989. Hubach, Hanns: Heidelberg : das Schloss ngl. Übers.: Philip Mattson Heidelberg: Braus, 1995. Kühnle, Johannes: Schloss Heidelberg : Geschichte, Architektur, Kuriositäten ; Gedichte, Lieder, Impressionen, Rundgang. Leimen (bei Heidelberg): Jk-Multimedia Consult, 2000 Hoppe Stephan: Die Architektur des Heidelberger Schlosses in der ersten Hälfte des 16. Jahrhunderts. Neue Datierungen und Interpretationen. (online auf ART-Dok) In: Volker Rödel (Red.): Mittelalter. Schloss Heidelberg und die Pfalzgrafschaft bei Rhein bis zur Reformationszeit. (= Schätze aus unseren Schlössern. Band 7). Regensburg 2002, S. 183–190 und S. 205–210. http://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/artdok/volltexte/2010/994 Volker Rödel (Red.): Mittelalter. Schloss Heidelberg und die Pfalzgrafschaft bei Rhein bis zur Reformationszeit (=Schätze aus unseren Schlössern, 7). Regensburg 2002. Frese, Anette; Hepp, Frieder; Ludwig, Renate, Der Winterkönig, Remshalden 2004. Morgan, Luke, Nature as model: Salomon de Caus and early seventeenth-century landscape design, Philadelphia 2007. Wiese, Wolfgang: Heidelberg castle. Berlin, München: Dt. Kunstverl., 2009. Wacker, Heiko P.: Das Heidelberger Schloss : Burg - Residenz - Denkmal. Ubstadt-Weiher ; Heidelberg ; Basel: Verl. Regionalkultur, 2012. Pape, Burkhard: Das Heidelberger Schloss und seine Befestigungen. Petersberg: Imhof, 2013. Hanschke, Julian: Neue Forschungen zur Baugeschichte des Heidelberger Schlosses : Vorabauszug aus dem für 2015 geplanten Abschlussband zu dem am Institut für Baugeschichte (KIT) 2010-2013 durchgeführten Forschungsprojekt. Karlsruhe: KIT, 2014. https://publikationen.bibliothek.kit.edu/1000043430/3245789 Hanschke, Julian, Schloss Heidelberg: Architektur und Baugeschichte, 2015. Wendt, Achim: Schloss Heidelberg. Regensburg: Schnell & Steiner, 2015.    Mauntel, Christoph; Meyer, Carla; Wendt, Achim (ed.), Heidelberg in Mittelalter und Renaissance, Ostfildern 2017. Buselmeier, Michael (ed). Alles will für dich erglühen: das Heidelberger Schloss in Texten und Bildern. Heidelberg: Morio Verlag, 2018.


External links


Schloss Heidelberg

''Hortus Palatinus'' by Salomon de Caus
1620 – plans for the gardens (some of which survive today)


Audio Tour in Castle of Heidelberg

Praetorius as pastor in Dittelsheim (in German, with pictures)
* Illustrated description of Heidelberg Castle by
Mark Twain Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, entrepreneur, publisher, and lecturer. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has pr ...
in the Appendix of his 1880 European travelogue "The Tramp Abroad", available a
Project Gutenberg
* * Video on buildin
history
* Mittheilungen des Heidelberger Schlossvereins
Digizeitschriften
{{Authority control Electoral Palatinate Episcopal palaces in Germany Grand Duchy of Baden Hill castles Historic house museums in Baden-Württemberg History of Heidelberg Holy Roman Empire Imperial castles Nine Years' War Renaissance architecture in Germany Renaissance buildings and structures Ruined castles in Germany Sandstone buildings in Germany Thirty Years' War Tourist attractions in Heidelberg