Königstuhl (Odenwald)
The Königstuhl, translated "Kings seat", is a 567 metre high hill in the Odenwald Mountains and in the city of Heidelberg, in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. The Königstuhl summit allows visitors a spectacular view of the city of Heidelberg and the River Neckar as well as the Rhine Valley.
On days with good conditions the view extends to the Pfaelzerwald (Palatinate Forest), which is roughly 40–50 km away.
The hill is linked to Kornmarkt, in Heidelberg's Altstadt, by the Heidelberger Bergbahn, a two section historic funicular railway that stops at the Heidelberg Castle, located on the lower slopes of the Königstuhl, and the Molkenkur restaurant/hotel and the ultimate stop at the mountain top which host a restaurant, an entertainment park for kids and various walking paths.
The Max Planck Institute for Astronomy is located near the summit of the Königstuhl, as is the historic Landessternwarte Heidelberg-Königstuhl astronomical observatory, established in 1898. Between 1912 and 1957, Karl Wilhelm Reinmuth discovered almost 400 asteroids whilst working from this observatory.
Several telecommunications facilities are located on the Königstuhl, including the Fernsehturm Heidelberg (Digital TV (DVB-T), Radio and Microwave), the Telecom Telecommunication Tower Heidelberg (Microwave and FM) and the now inactive Telecommunication Tower of US-Forces Heidelberg (Microwave).
Old Bridge (Carl Theodor Bridge)
Friedrich Hölderlin wrote poems about it, and so did Gottfried Keller. Countless painters have also immortalized it in their works: the Old Bridge, whose real name is the Carl Theodor Bridge after the man who had it built. The bridge’s nine red sandstone arches span the Neckar River and blend harmoniously into their surroundings, framed by the river and mountains.
The Old Bridge is actually relatively young, and was preceded by many older bridges made of wood. The first bridge was recorded at this site in 1284. But like all of the wooden bridges that followed, it eventually fell prey to high water and ice. This finally prompted Prince Elector Carl Theodor – after a major flood with ice had destroyed the last wooden bridge in 1784 – to construct the first stone bridge in 1786-88. Raised bents in its middle allowed water to drain off quickly when the river flooded.
On March 29, 1945, one of the very last days of the War, German soldiers used explosives to render all of Heidelberg’s Neckar bridges impassable, including the Old Bridge. But thanks to a drive to collect donations that was enthusiastically supported by the town’s residents, work to rebuild it began as soon as March 14, 1946. It was inaugurated on July 26, 1947. In 2001 the Old Bridge was added to the World Monuments Fund, a list of the world’s most endangered monuments.
Heidelberg Castle
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. 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 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.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%B6nigstuhl_%28Odenwald%29
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