- Type
- Castle
- Location
- Baden-Württemberg, Germany
- Style
- Gothic architecture
- Visiting
- probably – Wikidata lists it as a museum or gives tickets, opening hours or visitor numbers; check before you go
- Coordinates
- 49.4106°, 8.7158°
History
From the Middle Ages the castle above the Neckar was the seat of the Electors Palatine, who gradually turned the fortress into a splendid residence. In the 16th and early 17th centuries they added the Renaissance Ottheinrich and Friedrich palaces, and Elector Frederick V extended the castle for his wife Elizabeth Stuart. The Thirty Years' War brought the first damage, and in the late 17th century, during the War of the Palatine Succession, French troops blew up fortifications and burned buildings. When lightning destroyed the rebuilt wings in 1764 the electors abandoned the castle for good. In the 19th century the ruin captivated the Romantics and became one of Germany's most popular sights.
What to see
In the courtyard the richly carved façades of the Ottheinrich and Friedrich buildings are lined with statues of rulers, while on the garden side stand the Elizabeth Gate and the Powder Tower, split by an explosion, with half of it still lying in the moat. The cellars hold a gigantic 18th-century wine barrel, and the castle also houses the German Pharmacy Museum. The terrace overlooks the old town and the bridge across the Neckar.
Wikipedia article Official website Wikidata Q327265
Popularity: articles about this site in 40 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).