P271 - Germany - Heidelberg Castle

Heidelberg Castle, Heidelberg, Germany

Heidelberg is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. As of 2006, over 140,000 people live within the city's 109 square kilometres (42 sq mi) area. Heidelberg is a unitary authority. The Rhein-Neckar-Kreis rural district surrounds and has its seat in the city, but the city itself does not form a part of it.

Heidelberg lies on the river Neckar at the point where it leaves its narrow, steep valley in the Odenwald to flow into the Rhine valley where, 20 kilometres (12 mi) northwest of Heidelberg, it joins the river Rhine at Mannheim. Heidelberg is part of a densely populated region known as the Rhein-Neckar-Triangle.

The Heidelberg Castle 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 m (262 ft) up the northern part of the Königstuhl hillside, and thereby dominates the view of the old downtown. It is served by an intermediate station on the Heidelberger Bergbahn funicular railway that runs from Heidelberg's Kornmarkt to the summit of the Königstuhl.

The earliest castle structure was built before AD 1214 and later expanded into 2 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 destroyed some rebuilt sections.

海德堡（Heidelberg）是德國巴登-符騰堡州的城市，位於斯圖加特和法蘭克福之間。2002年城市方圓109平方千米內有人口140,000。

海德堡坐落於內卡河畔。內卡河在此處由狹窄而陡峭的 Odenwald 山谷流向萊茵河河谷，並與萊茵河在海德堡西北20千米的曼海姆交匯。著名的海德堡城堡位於高出內卡河200米的 Königstuhl 山上，俯視狹長的海德堡老城。著名詩人歌德曾經漫步環繞城堡的公園。

海德堡是一個充滿活力的傳統和現代混合體。過去它曾是科學和藝術的中心，如今的海德堡延續傳統，在城市內和城市附近建有許多研究中心。

海德堡不僅有著引以為榮的中世紀城堡，它還擁有歐洲最古老的教育機構之一——海德堡大學。曾在海德堡大學學習和工作的著名思想家有黑格爾、詮釋學哲學家伽達默爾、社會學家哈貝馬斯以及 the discourse philosopher 卡爾-奧托·阿佩爾（Karl-Otto Apel）。 海德堡大學最重要的學生當屬1817年發明自行車的 Karl Drais。

海德堡城堡（Heidelberg Schloss）建于12世纪，座落于国王宝座 ﹝Konigsstuhl Mt.﹞山顶上，名胜古迹非常多，历史上经过几次扩建，形成歌德式、巴洛克式及文艺复兴三种风格的混合体，德国文艺复兴时期的代表作。古堡历史上曾是选帝侯宫邸，其主要建筑完成于1556-1620年之间。古堡的正门雕有披着盔甲的武士队，中央庭园有喷泉以及四根花岗岩柱，四周则为音乐厅、玻璃厅等建筑物。17世纪时法国人曾两度摧毁城堡，几经波折，至19世纪末其主建筑才得以恢复原貌。站在城廓上远望，满眼尽是无边无垠的葡萄园，美不胜收。堡中能储存 220000公升葡萄酒的“大酒桶”以及大酒窖，是海德堡城内最吸引观光客的原因!

References sources : Wikipedia, xinhuanet