Universitätsplatz Heidelberg: history & things to see

Universitätsplatz: a rich past

Universitätsplatz lies in the centre of the city on the Neckar - a meeting point for students, friends and families. Thanks to its location the square has a great deal to offer: the Hauptstraße and the short walk down to the river invite you to explore. Few visitors would guess what an enormous history this place carries.

History

Heidelberg’s history reaches back a very long way. In the town of Mauer near Sinsheim, human remains were found that predate the Neanderthals - people have lived in the Neckar region for that long.

In Roman times Heidelberg and its districts were simple villages, overlooked by one or two camps on the hills. Only a few foundation walls of Roman forts survive. It was over the following centuries that the fortified settlement on the Neckar developed into the university city of today.

Martin Luther in Heidelberg

Where the Old University stands today, there was once an Augustinian monastery inhabited by monks. It was inside this monastery that the famous Heidelberg Disputation took place, at which Martin Luther personally defended his theses. Heidelberg was therefore an important stop on Luther’s nationwide disputation as his ideas spread.

Almost 200 years later the monastery was destroyed and burned down to its foundations. In the mid-18th century the square was redesigned and named “Paradeplatz”. Around 100 years after that it was renamed “Ludwigsplatz” after Grand Duke Ludwig I. It received its present name only in 1928.

The city under National Socialism

Although Heidelberg escaped the bombing that struck much of Baden-Württemberg, Universitätsplatz on the Hauptstraße still became an instrument of the Nazi regime’s crimes. Several burnings of Marxist and non-German books took place on what was then called “Langemarckplatz”. After the end of the war the square was renamed Universitätsplatz and a memorial plaque was installed.

Getting there

The P11 car park at the university library makes the approach relatively straightforward, either via the B37 federal road or via Friedrich-Ebert-Anlage.

There is a bus stop of the same name on Universitätsplatz itself, with connections to the main station, to Bismarckplatz and - with one change - to the Altstadt station via lines 31 and 32.

On foot, the pedestrian zone is the obvious route. The walk from Bismarckplatz or Altstadt station is a little long, but the dozens of shops along the way turn the time spent in the Old Town into an experience in itself.

Things to do around Universitätsplatz

The pedestrian zone

The adjoining Hauptstraße on the north side offers restaurants and clothes shops alongside plenty of other options around the square and its Lion Fountain. How about the famous Studentenküsse (“student kisses”) chocolates?

Christmas market

Every year from late November to late December, dozens of stalls are set up across the square, filling this student meeting place with Christmas atmosphere. In winter especially, visitors can escape the grey and dive into Germany’s mulled wine scene.

Heidelberg University

The south and east sides are framed by the university buildings that give the square its name. This is your chance to visit one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Germany. The quiet library in particular is popular with students of every subject.

Heidelberg Castle

From the Lion Fountain you can already catch a breathtaking view of Heidelberg Castle. To the south there is an access route up to the castle, one of the alternative paths to the top. Pack sturdy shoes - in autumn especially, the slow turn of the seasons is wonderful to watch from up there.

The Old Bridge

Walk from the square towards the Neckar and you cannot miss the Old Bridge. It was blown up at the end of the war and later rebuilt, faithfully reproducing the original style. Visitors love it.

Summary

It is hard to believe, but Universitätsplatz has an extraordinary past - from the destruction of an Augustinian monastery to the earliest Roman fortifications, the square has plenty of stories to tell. You just have to listen.

And if the history is not enough, the shops and cafés of the pedestrian zone will win you over. Here a rich past meets a generous present.

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