After taking Maz and Jenna to the airport and a huggy good bye we had the rest of the day to find something to do. HEIDLEBERG. We were not able to go with the girls but I took lots of pictures so they could see it. Before we even got to the castle we saw a very unique metal statue. Germany is known for its industrial looking pieces of art in every town. This one takes the cake. Back to the castle. It is built on the Neckar River and is the second most visited place in Germany. It dates back to the 1300's when it was built as a fortress. Oh here is where I tell you that today's blog is going to be a History lesson, so if you don't like history, oh well.
In the 1500's Heidleberg was the seat of Government for the German Empire. The elector Ottheinrich was second only to the Emperor. Between 1574-1610 Elector Frederick IV restored the castle in the Renaissance style. The statues of his 16 ancestors line a wall that can be seen in the plaza. Two had the first name of Otto, the same as our Grandson. There is a love story told about his son Frederick V and his bride Elizabeth Stuart the daughter of King James I of England. They married at 14 and 15 yrs. old. She brought with her many ladies in waiting as well as her lovable monkey's. She had one sitting on her shoulder or on her lap wherever she went. On her 20th birthday Fredrick built over night, an Arch de Triumph that he named Elizabeth Gate and presented it to her.
As you enter the castle there is a strong door with a huge ring on it. Legend attached to it says, "Anyone who can bite through the thick ring on the tower gate shall own the castle." I wonder how many men broke their teeth off trying to accomplish the task? About 1600 the first large wine barrel was built which held 132,000 liters. An even larger barrel was built in 1664 that held 222,000 liters and it took 130 Oak trees to get the job done. It was large enough to have a dance floor on the top.
In 1764 the castle was struck by lightning and a great fire cracked a lot of the 7 meter thick walls causing it to crumble. It lay in ruins until 1810 when an artist curator named Count Charles Graimberg, a French immigrant, visited Heidleberg and was facinated by it. He made it his life's ambition to save it from further destruction. He preserved everything associated with the castle and the town. By 1815 his engravings of Heidleberg were widely distributed. He is known as the Father of the Industry of pictorial views of the castle and life along the Neckar River. He petitioned the authorities to prevent the farmers and builders from turning it into a quarry. All of his antiquities relating to the Palatinate are housed in the Kurpfalzisches Museum in Heidleberg.
We took a one hour tour of the castle and saw the ornate door casings leading from one room to the other. A few pieces of 17th century furniture were on display. Of course I took pictures of them all. My blog must take the prize for the most pictures posted. We saw a tree in the middle of the castle grounds that really intrigued us. We had to touch it. Question, "Does anyone know the name of this tree and do you think it was downy soft or hard and prickly?" Any takers on that question? Anyway, we walked down into the town which has a beautiful plaza with a statue of Hercules, the son of Zeus and one of the Grain Goddess. Right in the middle of town is the Church of the Spirit, which had a beautiful pipe organ. We went in at just the right time, a man was practicing for his recital. Dawn, you have to play a pipe organ some day. It must be exhilarating. The only tragic thing about the church was that its outer wall, had souvenir shops all around it. Looked a little bit like what Christ spoke about in the bible as money changers around the temple. We ate at a place called Schmidts, who had the greatest burgers (American style) and we were told to be sure and walk across the bridge, which we did. The History of the bridge is another great story.
The first bridge was built of wood in 1248. It was rebuilt in the 16th century by the Elector Charles Theodore who is presented as a statue on the bridge. In 1945 the bridge was blown up but a year later it was retrieved from the river and rebuilt stone by stone. It was an enjoyable walk and a super day. Tschuss
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