Heidelberg

• 1. A Valley of Warmth

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  Heidelberg sits in a narrow valley where the Neckar River cuts through the Oden Forest. This specific geography creates an oceanic climate that is warmer than most other places in Germany. Spring begins here around mid-February, months earlier than the national average. Daytime temperatures often reach 30 degrees Celsius during summer heat waves. The mild winters allow plants like almond trees and fig trees to grow outdoors. These species are atypical for central European climates. In 2009, the German Meteorological Service declared Heidelberg the warmest place in all of Germany.

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• 2. Roots Before Universities

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  Human history in this region stretches back hundreds of thousands of years. A jawbone discovered near Mauer dates between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago. It represents the earliest evidence of human life found in Europe. By the fifth century BC, Celtic tribes built a fortress on the Heiligenberg hill. Roman soldiers established a fort there in 40 AD. The first written mention of the village appears in documents from 769 AD. A monastery named St. Michael was founded on the Heiligenberg in 870 AD. The town itself received its name in a document dated 1196. The Electorate of the Palatinate passed to the House of Welf through marriage in 1195. Ludwig I acquired the territory in 1214. The Counts Palatine gained far-reaching rights in the Golden Bull of 1356. Rupert I founded Heidelberg University in 1386.

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• 3. Wars That Shattered Stone

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  The Thirty Years' War brought devastation to the city in the seventeenth century. Frederick V became known as the Winter King after accepting the Royal Crown of Bohemia in November 1619. His reign lasted only one winter before Imperial forces regained control. In 1622, Catholic armies commanded by Johann Tserclaes captured the town after a two-month siege. They took the famous Bibliotheca Palatina and gave it to the Pope. French troops led by Urbain de Maillé-Brézé broke an imperial siege in late 1634. King Louis XIV claimed inheritance rights following the death of Charles II in 1685. French soldiers destroyed nearly all of the town and castle in 1693 during the War of the Palatinate Succession. Thousands of German Calvinist Palatines emigrated to London and New York between 1709 and 1710. Queen Anne's government arranged transport for nearly 6,000 refugees to America.

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• 4. A City Spared From Fire

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  During World War II, Heidelberg avoided the heavy bombing that struck other major German cities. Brigadier General William A. Beiderlinden helped save the city from destruction in March 1945. He persuaded Nazi troops to withdraw rather than fight or be shelled. The negotiations focused on sparing the university and historic sites. German troops left the city on the 29th of March 1945 after destroying three arches of the old bridge. The U.S. Army entered the town on the 30th of March 1945 without resistance. The civilian population surrendered peacefully. The city was neither an industrial center nor a strategic transport hub. Allied air raids instead targeted nearby Mannheim and Ludwigshafen. The intact rail infrastructure made it valuable for post-war logistics. The U.S. Army occupied the Grossdeutschland Kaserne barracks immediately after the war.

• 5. Barracks And Rebirth

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  The university reopened relatively quickly in 1945 through the initiative of anti-Nazi professors. Alfred Weber and Karl Jaspers were among the small group who led this effort. Surgeon Karl Heinrich Bauer served as rector. George S. Patton died in the Heidelberg US Army hospital on the 21st of December 1945 following a car accident. His funeral ceremony took place at the Heidelberg-Weststadt cemetery. The U.S. Army used Campbell Barracks for cultural events during the occupation. Civilian use began in the early 1980s for concerts and gatherings. Thousands of young people gather annually on Walpurgis Night to drum and breathe fire. The event has gained fame throughout the region despite being officially forbidden. Patrick Henry Village housed American families until the military left. By 2015, all United States forces had departed from Heidelberg. The barracks and housing areas were returned to the German state for conversion to civilian use.

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• 6. A Hub For Minds

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  Heidelberg University remains one of Europe's oldest institutions with a global reputation. Its peer review scores usually rank higher than its overall position. It never ranked outside Europe's top 20 by any major university ranking. The campus hosts several internationally renowned research facilities. These include the European Molecular Biology Laboratory and four Max Planck Institutes. Notable thinkers associated with the institution include Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel and Hannah Arendt. The school does not charge students tuition fees. International students attend in block periods of five weeks. The city is home to 23 elementary schools and numerous secondary education institutions. Over half of secondary students attend a Gymnasium. This percentage sits above the German average due to the academic population living nearby.

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• 7. Romance And Visitors

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  More than 11.9 million visitors arrive every year to see this Romantic town. The era of Heidelberg Romanticism centered on poets like Joseph von Eichendorff and Ludwig Achim von Arnim. A scenic walking path called the Philosophers' Walk overlooks the old town. In 1901, Wilhelm Meyer-Förster wrote the play Old Heidelberg. Sigmund Romberg turned it into an operetta titled The Student Prince in 1924. The song I Lost My Heart in Heidelberg became a major hit composed by Fred Raymond in 1925. It remains the theme song of the city today. Events like the Christmas market attract crowds during winter months. The Heidelberger Frühling Classic Music Festival takes place in March or April. An annually organized half marathon occurs during the last weekend of April. The Old Town Autumn Festival includes a Medieval Market and music ranging from Samba to Rock. The International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg presents arthouse films jointly with its neighbor city.

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