We begin our exploration of the castle at the main entrance, with its little guard house and walk into the former gunpark, used for weapons practice in former times. Prince Elector Frederic V changed the gunpark of the castle into a pleasure garden for his wife Princess Elizabeth Stuart. We walk past an engraved stone reminding of the time the poet and mayor German writer Goethe spent in Heidelberg, meeting here with his lady-friend Marianne von Willemer. Nearby we also find one of our many exotic trees which decorate this garden nowadays, a Ginko Tree (Ginko biloba) which Goethe also imortalized in a poem.

Walking along the moat, in which deer and bears were kept, we reach the Elizabeth Gate, the birthday gift of Frederic V for his wife Elizabeth Stuart.

Walking past the main entrance we go a bit into the large garden area behind the Castle, a beautiful park for strolling around and a favorite place of the Heidelberg population to spend weekend afternoons with the children when the weather is good.

Walking back to the main entrance we reach the former Tackroom and Stable. In here we find the ticket office of the Castle. Here we buy our entrance tickets. 5.- Euro per Person, Students 3.- Euro p.P.. If you come at 6,00 p.m. there is no charge to get in, but you will not be able to see the cellar and the pharmacy museum. The entrance ticket includes the ride with the Funicular to the castle and back into the town.

Now we walk into the castle by means of the bridge. The Courtyard is impressive, 600 years of history surround us. Melac , the general encharged of the french troops, just needed a few days to burn it all down in 1693. The first building right next to us, the Ruprecht building, is the entrance if you choose to take an inside tour of the buildings. This would be an additional entrance fee of 80 Euro for a group up to 20 Persons (each additional person 4.- Euro). If done after 5,30 pm the fee would be 160 Euro up to 20 Persons and 5 Euros each additional person. During the inside tour you will see the interiour decoration of the Frederic building , the Knightshall with the miniature replicas of the castle before and after the destruction, many objects that were found during escavations and the Chapel of the castle among other sights.

In the castle courtyard we are greeted by the castle fotographer. A traditional group picture is made here, which you are not obliged to buy. It is a nice souvenier as the whole group is on it as you can see below.

Proceding on our Inside tour we have a look at the Frederics building, a german reaissance building with lots of statues of the princes electors on the fasade, among them the builder Frederic IV.

Our next building is the Ottheinrich building, called the most beautiful italian renaissance building north of the Alps. next to it we walk up a spiral saircase which leads us into the Graimberg room. Count Charles de Graimberg is the Frenchman responsible for the fact that the castle is still around. He did the first arqueological excavations here and iniciated the local history museum. Leaving this room we walk up 2 floors into the Frederic building to admire the interiour of this building rebuilt 1900 in the neo renaissance style unter the iniciative of the Margrave of Baden Baden. Most of the furniture and objects we find in this floor are from his private collection. Lovely stucco ceilings and marble imitation floors and wooden Doors and Doorframes await us in the corridor. Going down into the first floor where we find furniture of the period the building was built, the 17 century, mainly from Italy, and pictures of The princes Electors of that period and their family. Climbing down further we reach the chapel which can be rented for marriage ceremonies. I married myself there 25 years ago. In the chapel as well as the preceding floors we find the original statues from the fasade. Leaving the chapel we go into the Cellar to admire the huge wine vat with some 228.000 Litres capacity (63.000 gallons) just as impressive is the small one with only 45.000 Liters.

Leaving the cellar we go to the terrace of the castle which gives us the most beautiful view of the town. Returning to the castle courtyard after some explanations on the sights, you have now the oportunity of visiting the Pharmacy Museum which is included in your entrance fee, a very attractive and interesting museum (open till 17.00 hrs, in Summer 17.30) showing everything related to pharmacy, like cupboards, jars, medications, documents and lots of other interesting things.

For this very complete guided tour you need a minimum of 2 hours time. It can be done in less, but then without the interiour of the castle. In Summer it is sometimes not possible to see the castle interiour or courtyard in the evening, as we have the castle festival going on in the courtyard and the area is then off limits if you are not in posession of a ticket to the event taking place, or somebody has rented the courtyard and other facilities for a private party or event.

In the time frame of 3-4 hours a combined tour can be done including the town, the castle exteriour and the castle interiour. An important detail should be taken into consideration: the interiour of the castle is not suitable for wheelchairs or disabled persons as lots of steps are involved.

Prices:

Guide fees: check out the hourly fees in the corresponding link.

Entrance fees to the castle: 5.- Euro p.P. Students 3.- Euro

(Including the ride in the funicular)

Entrance fee for the interiour of the castle: Daytime till 5.30 pm 80 Euro (till 20 persons - each additional person 4 Euros) Evening, that is after 5.30 pm - 160 Euro(till 20 persons, each addiditonal person 5 Euros). Might change please ask for an update per email.

Links to other tour suggestions:

Evening tour......

Pub and Restaurant tour....

Heidelberg Sights tour....

Touring the old part of town.......

Xmas tour.

These tours can be booked as is, or you can choose a combination...write me an email and we will design the tour you would like to have for your customers.

(c) Copyright Isabel Ritter-Göhringer Heidelberg Führungen mit Flair

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