Altstadt

Heidelberg's old town is among the most well preserved ones in Heidelberg. Here you can find the university, Heiliggeist kirche, old lanes and a nice pedestrian street, Hauptstrasse, with historic buildings and elegant shops. The nice Marktplatz is also here. Next to Alstadt, the beautiful river Neckar flows with its famous old bridge and above it is the green mountain where the Heidelberg castle lies.

Hauptstrasse, the main shopping street of Heidelberg, it Europe's longest car free zone (1.6km). The picture shows the west-east direciton.

Hauptstrasse, east-west direction. It was very crowded, despite the weather. The tower in the background in both photos below is Providenskirche.

Europe's longest car free zone. In the distance is Heiliggeistkirche.

Providenzkirche. The Providence Church, located at Hauptstrasse, was built in 1689-91 as a Lutheran parish church. Annexes were added in 1886.

Towards St Anna church.

Plöck. The smaller paralel street to Hauptstrasse. It is pretty narrow and sometimes there are no pavement at all, so you have to watch out for the crazy bikers!

At first I thought this was the main street, so I followed it towards the castle.

The university bulding (right), towards the mountain.

Luxorious private residences are climbing the hills.

Peterskirche (St Peter's Church) is the oldest church in the Old Town. It was built 1485-96 in neo gothic style.

Peterskirche.

I was taking a break from my walking at this churchyard.

The Old University building (also known as the Domus Wilhelmina) was erected by Johann Adam Breunig in 1712-1735.

The old university building. Heidelberg's university is Germany's oldest and was founded in 1386. For the university’s 500-year celebrations in 1896, the historic auditorium
in its west wing was remodeled in Neorenaissance style.

The university library. I really like the red colour of facades that are significant for Germany.

Jesuitenkirche. This Baroque Jesuit church was completed in 1723.

Carolinum, another university building.

The glass facade of a modern design hotel, a contrast to the old buildings of Altstadt.

A green inneryard in Heidelberg's Altstadt.

A prison?

On my way to the castle.

Heidelberg Castle. See more pictures, click on the castle section.

Roadsign pointing to the top of the hill???

Marktplatz, the market place square in the heart of Heidelberg's old town. Here you can find the Town Hall, the Church of the Holy Spirit, old buildings, restaurants,
pubs and statues.

Heiliggeistkirche, Church of the Holy Spirit, is the tallest and most famous church in Heidelberg. In 1398 the foundations of the current late gothic church weree laid. It stands in the middle of Marktplatz.

Note how commercial they have turned the church with all the souvenir shops!

In the 1970s the Heiliggeistkirche was a center for the flower power movement!

The impressive interior of Heiliggeistkirche.

Rathaus, the Town Hall of Heidelberg is the building to the right. A lot of open air restaurants and cafës at Marktplatz.

Hotel zum Ritter, a small legendaric hotel with a very beautiful renaissance facade.

Markplatz seen from Hauptstrasse with the mountains in the background.

Rathaus to the left and Heidelberg Castle in the mountains in the background.

Kornmarkt.

Kornmarkt with Heidelberg Schloss in the background.

The golden statue of St Mary on Kornmarkt.

Kornmarkt.

An Irish shop with a fancy green front. See more store fronts in this section.

Hard Rock Café.

A shop dedicated to Christmas, in the middle of April!

Völkerkundemuseum.

Karlstor is the square i the east end of the city center, next to River Neckar. It is surrounded by heavy traffic.

Walking through Karls Gate from 1791. It used to be a passage for trams.