Arrival at the Heidelberg Suites, Heidelberg, Germany

After my morning walk/run in Hegne, most of the day was spent traveling - taxi to Zurich airport, flight to Frankfurt, long taxi ride to Heidelberg.  I was feeling a little weary until I arrived at the hotel in this historic city, with a charming suite and a wonderful view of the Heidelberg castle. Unfortunately, I have to work tomorrow and will not have time to tour the castle.

Thanks to wikipedia, I can inform you that Heidelberg is in the Rhine Rift Valley, on the left bank of the lower part of the River Neckar, bordered by the Königsstuhl (568 m) and the Gaisberg (375 m) mountains. The River Neckar here flows in an east-west direction. On the right bank of the river, the Heiligenberg mountain (445 m) rises. The River Neckar leads to the River Rhine approximately 22 kilometres north-west in Mannheim.

Heidelberg Castle (German: Heidelberger Schloss) is a famous ruin in Germany and landmark of Heidelberg. The castle ruins are among the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps.

The castle has only been partially rebuilt since its demolition in the 17th and 18th centuries. It is located 80 metres (260 ft) up the northern part of the Königstuhl hillside, and thereby dominates the view of the old downtown. The earliest castle structure was built before 1214 and later expanded into two castles circa 1294; however, in 1537, a lightning-bolt destroyed the upper castle. The present structures had been expanded by 1650, before damage by later wars and fires. In 1764, another lightning-bolt caused a fire which destroyed some rebuilt sections.

Chronology - Timeline of events for Heidelberg Castle:

• 1225: first documented mention as "Castrum"
• 1303: mention of two castles.
• 1537: destruction of the upper castle by lightning-bolt.
• 1610: creation of the palace garden ("Hortus Palatinus").
• 1622: Tilly conquers city and castle in the Thirty Years War.
• 1649: renewal of the Castle plants.
• 1688/1689: destruction by French troops.
• 1693: renewed destruction in the Palatinate succession war.
• 1697: (start) reconstruction.
• 1720: transfer of the residence to Mannheim.
• 1742: (start) reconstruction.
• 1764: destruction by lightning-bolt.
• 1810: Charles de Graimberg dedicates himself to the preservation of the Castle ruins.
• 1860: first Castle lighting.
• 1883: establishment of the "office of building of castles of Baden."
• 1890: stocktaking by Julius Koch and Fritz Seitz.
• 1900: (circa) restorations and historical development.

View from my hotel room.

Romantic chocolate on my bed pillow.

Window in the living room with a view of the castle. 

Beautiful garden behind my hotel room.