It was
Prince Elector Ruprecht III (1398 - 1410) who had erect
the first representative building as a regal residence in
the
inner courtyard. The exterior of the building, divided
into a
ground floor made of stone and framework upper levels,
seems
quite unpretentious today.
Another regal building is
located
opposite to the Ruprecht Building: the Fountain Hall.
Prince
Elector Philipp (1476 - 1508) is said to have arranged
the
transfer of the hall’s columns from a decayed palace
of
Charlemagne to Heidelberg. The Prince Electors of the
16th and
17th century turned the fortress into a castle and added
two
representative palace buildings to the complex.
The two
dominant
buildings at the eastern and northern side of the
courtyard were
erected during the rule of Ottheinrich (1556 - 1559) and
Friedrich IV (1583 - 1610). Today, they are considered to
be two
of the most important buildings in German architectural
history.
Under Friedrich V (1613 - 1619), the main building of the
westside was erected, the so called "English
Building". The
Castle and its garden were destroyed, however, during the
30
Years' War. Later, it was rebuilt by Prince Elector Karl
Ludwig
(1649 - 1680), only to be destroyed once again by French
troops.
Prince Elector Karl Theodor who resided in Schwetzingen
tried to
restore the castle to make it inhabitable once again, but
in vain.
Lightning struck the Castle in 1764. In the centuries
that followed, the Castle was misused as a quarry - castle stones helped
to build new houses in Heidelberg. This was stopped in 1800 by Count
Charles de Graimberg who made any effort he could to preserve the
Heidelberg Castle. In spite of its Gothic interior, it was not before
1934, that the King’s Hall was added.
Today, the hall is used for festivities, e.g. dinner
banquets, balls and theatre performances. During the Heidelberg Castle
Festival in the summer, the courtyard is the site of open air musicals,
operas and theatre performances and classical concerts such as the
famous "Castle Serenades" performed by the Heidelberg City
Orchestra.
Opening hours: Daily from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
(Dec. 24 and 31 from 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.)
Telephone: 06221 / 53 84 14
Castle Yard, Great Vat and German
Pharmacy Museum: Price:
