Heidelberg

Lately Matt had been going to a bunch of different trainings and conferences. On a couple of them we decided to tag along and do some sight seeing. It has been really fun, and gotten us out of our little sphere. That is how we ended up here...in Heidelberg, for a weekend.

The main attraction for me was, yep, you guessed it, Schloss Heidelberg.

It is actually this huge fortress up on the side of the mountain. Unfortunately they are in the middle of reinforcing some of the towers, so there is scaffolding everywhere. This schloss was the last stand down between Germany and their mortal enemy...France. The French border is actually only about 80 Kilometers from Heidelberg. Anyway, this structure has seen many battles and was struck by lightening many times. Hannah thought it looked like it had been burned up by a dragon attack. Heidelberg decided not to rebuild it, but to reinforce it so it doesn't continue to crumble away.

This is how you get to the schloss and the top of the mountain, by cable car. You can drive up and park too...but this way is much more exciting.

Here we are, inside the cable car, riding it up the side of the mountain. I am not sure what is up with Hannah. Lately she has been very opposed to having her picture taken. So most that we have of her she is making a face, in some weird position or a blur. What a goof ball :)

The courtyard

They used this space for lots of different things, the girls favorite was a zoo.

Another view of the courtyard

Crossing the ramparts to the library and main area of the castle

It was fun to learn that Heidelberg at one time had the greatest library in Europe. Until the Roman Empire claimed most of the scrolls and books and took them back to Rome.

Another Warming Oven (see Bamberg's post)

They can be incredibly fancy!

Matt and Hunter in the King's Hall. This room was lovely, and the stained glass was glorious.

They rent out this room for events. I think the senior prom for the American high school in Heidelberg is usually held here...wouldn't that be cool. To go to a prom in a castle.

Apparently Heidelberg boast the biggest wine cast in the world. I am not sure if that is true, but it was very large! There were stairs and a walk way and you could walk above all around it. We are not drinkers, being members of the L.D.S. church, but we were still told it was worth seeing.

As you can probably already tell. I love finding out the stories and the histories of the places we visit. I like to talk to people who work there and find out things that maybe other's don't know. Well, while in Heidelberg castle, I started talking with a security guard, and he told me this tale. It is a sad tale, but unique. Apparently the architecht of Heidelberg castle has twin boys, like me. They were about 6 or 7, and their father would bring them to work with him when he came to the castle. The boys would play and have great adventures. Sadly, one time, there was an accident. From the guards broken english, all I could make out was, there was either a fall or something fell on the boys. They both parished inside the newly constructed halls of Heidelberg Schloss. Above one of the entrance ways is this stone medallion, two angels as a memorial to the twin boys that died.

After exploring the schloss and the market platz, we found a nice Kebab house and got some pizza. We decided to eat outside, and had a lovely view of the old town church that sits in the center of the Market Platz.

Oh how I love Europe!