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Heidelberg Castle Illumination

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Dates 2024

01. June & 07. Septembre

from 10:15 p.m. onward

Heidelberg Castle Illumination

Three times a year people from all parts of the world come to Heidelberg. The banks of the Neckar are filled on both sides and on the Philosophers’ Path there is hardly a place in the first row to get a view. The reason for this is the illumination of the castle with the following fireworks over the Neckar. There is hardly a Heidelberg resident who has never experienced the castle illumination. Many families and other visitors make it almost a tradition to visit the Heidelberg Castle Illuminations once a year.

In June, July and September of each year, the Heidelberg Castle lights up in blazing red. As soon as the red Bengal lights fade, the fireworks display starts from the Old Bridge. The castle illumination including the fireworks takes about 15 minutes, but is worth every single second, even for a slightly longer journey.

Probably the most popular places to admire the play of light in the sky are, the Nepomuk Terrace at the bridge end of the Neuenheim bank of the Neckar, the banks of the Neckar (e.g. Neckarwiese) and the Philosophers’ Path. There are also places in the Old Town where you have a unique view of the fireworks. Tip: Steingasse leads from the Church of the Holy Spirit directly to the bridge gate, so you have a great view of the fireworks from a slightly different perspective. If one then wants to have a little snack, there is a small but fine crêpes stand right at the Church of the Holy Spirit that also offers drinks.

During the days around the day of the castle illumination, there is also a supporting program. For example, on the Nepomuk Terrace there is a small beer garden with live music on Saturdays from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Sundays from 12 a.m. to 6 p.m., and at the Kornmarkt there is a small art and goods market. At the Bismarckplatz and the Anatomy Garden, people get in the mood for the event from Thursday onwards, while shortly before the palace illumination, a concert is given in the Church of the Holy Spirit at 6:15 pm.

 

Boat trip to the fireworks

For boat owners there are very special places, as there are many small boats and ships near the Old Bridge during the fireworks, which watch the spectacle from the water. But if you don’t have a boat and would still like to watch the castle illumination from the water, Heidelberg’s marketing department has put together a special offer.

The offer is bookable for a maximum of 14 people, for more people there are special group offers.

You get a 1.5 hour boat trip with a 3-course menu on the ” Weiße Flotte Heidelberg”, which drops anchor in front of the Old Bridge shortly before the fireworks begin. In addition, there are one, two or three nights with breakfast in a room of the category comfort or first class in a Heidelberg hotel. The category, number of nights and whether you want a single or double room is of course up to you. The prices vary between 180€ and 460€ depending on your decision.

In addition, you will even receive the HeidelbergCard for your stay, which allows you to use all public transport and take the mountain railway to the Molkestation and the castle. You will also receive many other discounts and admission to the castle courtyard and the German Pharmacy Museum.

History

Behind the whole process is of course some history. Because the glowing red that lights up the castle shortly before the fireworks symbolizes nothing else but fire. It is a reminder of the destruction of the Heidelberg Castle in the Palatinate War of Succession, which lasted from 1688 to 1697. At that time French troops had set fire to the castle and parts of the city in 1689. Since this was not enough, they returned to Heidelberg in 1692 and blew up the castle walls and also its towers.

The fireworks, however, remind us of a more beautiful part of Heidelberg’s history. On 14 February 1613, the Elector Friedrich V. married the English King’s daughter Elisabeth Stuart. When the two of them came to Heidelberg in July, Friedrich organised a big party for his beloved wife and fireworks to welcome her in proper manner. According to documentation, the fireworks lasted for more than two hours.

Since 1860 the Heidelberg Castle Illuminations take place on a regular basis, but even before that there were occasional fireworks and castle illuminations in the city.

Traffic regulations

At such a big event, there are also some regulations in the traffic, which limit the usual traffic routes. For example, parking on the Old Town side around the Old Bridge is already prohibited from 2 p.m. on the days when the castle illumination takes place. From 5 p.m. on, the whole bridge is then closed for all traffic and also pedestrians. In addition, the B37 along the Old Town will be closed from around 9:30 p.m. and the Theodor Heuss Bridge for vehicles from 10 pm. For pedestrians it is still crossable. Also the Ziegelhäuser Landstraße, the Neuenheimer Landstraße, the Uferstraße and the Brückenkopfstraße will be partially or completely closed to vehicle traffic from 9 pm.

If you want to go from the Old Town to the Nepomuk Terrace or to the Philosophers’ Path, despite the fact that the streets and the bridge are already closed, you can use the footbridge at the Karlstorbahnhof (Heidelberg-Altstadt station). From the Wehrsteg, it is only a few minutes’ walk to the Nepomuk Terrace and the Schlangenweg, which leads to the Philosophers’ Path. For the way to the Neckarwiese, the Theodor Heuss Bridge is recommended, as it ends directly at the beginning of the popular meadow.

The public transport also runs differently than usual due to the closures. This means that some stations, such as the bus stop Alte Brücke or Marstall, may be completely cancelled during this period.

All closures will be lifted again around 11 pm, after the end of the event. If you have arrived by car, you should consider in advance whether you want to leave a little earlier or stay a little longer in Heidelberg. Because the spectacle always attracts a lot of visitors, there may be traffic jams due to the many guests making their way home and the dismantling work.