ADVERTISEMENT

Heidelberg’s Old Town

Well preserved –Heidelberg’s Old Town

That the inhabitants of and visitors to Heidelberg’s Old Town feel comfortable and at ease in this romantic setting is explained not only by its location between the Neckar and the Castle hill, which rises up behind the city as though to give it protection.
The structures in the Old Town are primarily built using the region’s native red sandstone. As bridges, towers and gates, borders around open squares, churches, palaces, university buildings and both small and large townhouses, they never radiate stately aloofness, but instead friendliness, warmth, openness and closeness. The red sandstone edifices of the Alte Brücke (Old Bridge), historically the first Neckar crossing, and the Heiliggeistkirche (Church of the Holy Spirit), Heidelberg’s largest church, are thus also among the city’s sites of interest.

The same can be said for the Hotel Zum Ritter Sankt Georg, whose splendid Renaissance facade cannot be overlooked. The numerous dreamy alleyways, nooks and crannies give Heidelberg’s Old Town its cheerful flair. Anyone who strolls along the Untere Strasse or simply casts a brief glance into the branching narrow lanes while walking along the Hauptstrasse, Europe’s longest pedestrian zone, cannot help but sense this enchanting atmosphere.

Gabled roofs of brick and slate in many shapes protect Baroque buildings on medieval foundations. A glance at the city’s rooftops shows that more than 800 years of history have formed an appealing city setting of modest dimensions. The Old Town’s historic structural center, such as the Universitätsbibliothek (University Library), the Marstallmensa and a number of lecture hall buildings give evidence of the great significance of the university for the city. A bewitching mélange of hotels, restaurants, cafes, businesses and boutique can be found throughout the Old Town.

Heidelberg – City on the river