Heidelberg is centrally located in
Germany, with the cities such as Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Nürnberg and
Munich only being a few hours away by train. Besides these, it is a romantic
city located on the Neckar River which inhabits a magnificent position
sitting on the natural gateway formed by the Konigstuhl and the Heiligenberg
("Holy Mount").
The name, ‘Heidelberg’ stands for the world-famous Castle and a
picturesque Old Town in breathtakingly beautiful surroundings. The city is
famous for historic streets and a lively university atmosphere. Moreover the
city is visited for total relaxation and beautiful walks, stimulating
international conferences and festivals and is a symbol for the longest and
one of the most attractive pedestrian zones in Europe.
This unmatchable combination of castle, river and ancient city set amidst
mountains, forests and vineyards, adds to the charm of the city.
Undoubtedly, it is a city very rich in culture and international in its
tastes, due to the famed Heidelberg University with a large number of
foreign students, and its status as a favored international tourist
destination.
Fact File
Country : Germany
Population : 135000
Languages : German, English
Climate : Heidelberg has a pleasant climate with warm summers, mild
winters and an average annual rainfall of 700 millimetres (28 inches).
Temperatures range from around 1 C (34 F) in January to 20 C (68 F) in July
and August. It is one of the warmer parts of Baden-Wüttemberg, with
other areas of the state having temperatures averaging five degrees colder
and higher rainfall.
Official
Currency : Euro; 1 Euro = 52.443 Indian Rupee = 1.2047 US $ = 0.678141
GBP(subject to change)
Location : Is situated on Neckar river is set among lovely hills,
where the Neckar valley opens into the Rhine valley.
Getting There
By Air : The closest airport is in Frankfurt, which has a direct bus
link to Heidelberg. The airport shuttle to Heidelberg costs €28.
By Train : Heidelberg’s ‘Hauptbahnhof railway station’
is on the Mannheim Line, which has frequent service to Frankfurt (40 trains
a day; 40 minutes), Stuttgart (30 trains; 45 minutes), and Munich (3 1/2
hours).
Getting Around
Public transport : All parts of the city are well served by public
transport. It is managed by VRN, a regional traffic organisation. At the two
major stations Hauptbahnhof (railway station) and Bismarckplatz there are
offices to get directions or general assistance.
Besides this there are taxis and hired cars in the city to cater to the
needs of the visitors.
Accommodation
The city of Heidelberg has very good hotels to ensure a comfortable stay
for the tourists. Mentioned below is a list of some of the hotels in the
city:
5 star hotels in the city :
Hotel Marriott
Hotelneu Heidelberg
Hotel Central
4 Star hotels in the city:
Hotel Zum Ritter St Georg
Hotel Hollaender hof
3 star hotels in the city :
Hotel Crowne Plaza
Hotel Kohler
Major Tourist Attractions:
Heidelberg
Castle (Heidelberger Schloss) : This famous castle is close to the town
and its construction more than 400 years .The castle comprises of fort,
outbuildings and palaces in all styles from Gothic to High Renaissance.
Old Bridge (Alte Brücke) : Constructed from 1786 to 1788 the
medieval bridge gate is a part of the town wall and is well-preserved.
Baroque tower helmets were added during the construction of the bridge.
The Knight St. George (Zum Ritter Sankt Georg) : It survived the
Wars of Succession and is considered to be one of the most impressive
monuments of the German Late Renaissance period.
Madonna at the Kornmarkt : In the 17th century, when the Protestant
region was taken over by a Catholic sovereign, Jesuits marked this change by
building Madonna statues wherever they could - one of which is the Madonna
at the Kornmarkt. The statue became a focal point of religious worship in
Heidelberg.
Castle Gardens (Schlossgarten) : Before the 30 years War, the Castle
Gardens were considered as the “Eighth Wonder of the World” by the
contemporaries.
Church of the Holy Spirit (Heiliggeistkirche) : The Late Romanesque
basilica first started in 1239 was replaced by a large church building with
a Late Gothic nave in 1939. The chancel was completed by 1410, and the
building of the nave took until 1441. Lastly the continued construction of
the church tower was started in 1508.
