The category; "Cities with Castles". The Answer is: " A town situated on the River Neckar in south-west Germany".

Heidelberg is a beautiful little town on the River neckar. We have spent an hour driving small backroads through small villages to get here. It is both a University Town, as that is is primary employment, but it is also a great example of a village from the middle ages. The town dates back to 769 AD and the Castle began in the early 1100's. In 1386 Heidelberg University was founded and it played a leading part in the era of humanism and the Reformation, and the conflict between Lutheranism and Calvinism, in the 15th and 16th centuries. Heidelberg's library, founded in 1421, is the oldest existing public library in Germany. In April 1518, a few months after proclaiming his 95 Theses, Martin Luther was received in Heidelberg, to defend them.

Lieselotte has again arranged for us to have an English Tour Guide of the town. She leads us through highlighting many of the towns ancient streets and some places to eat as well as some chocolates to buy. She emphasizes the importance throughout history of Heidelberg and it's University.

This is a famous Chocolate Shop that was used in the 1800's for indicating interest between male students and females.

After the cathedral we visit the old student jails. At the time, the students would get into trouble in town and the University police would be charged to delve out justice. However, the police were of a lower class than the students so they would inform them of their crime and the jail time, and then the student would determine when it would fit into his scheduled. He would then let the police know when he would arrive at jail. It became quite the celebrity thing to do to get arrested and then have a massive party and a parade to the jail to do your time. Stocked of course with your favorite meals and comforts.

Now off to the cable car for the ride up to the Castle. The Castle and its grounds date back as far as the early 1100's and went through much growth over the centuries. Then during the 30 years war much of it was destroyed. They started a reconstruction after WWII but have now changed it to maintenance of the ruins. It is still a fascinating visit and with the town below one can certainly imagine life in the Middle Ages.

So one of the features of this castle was in the Banquet hall there is a large metal piping that turns out it was a Pump that was attached to a massive wine cask in the basement several stories below. The Heidelberg Tun, or the “World’s Largest Wine Barrel”, was built in 1751 by Prince Elector Karl Theodor to house the wine paid as taxes by the wine growers of the Palatine. It stands seven meters high, is eight and a half meters wide, holds 220,000 liters (58,124 gallons) of wine, and has a dance floor built on top of it. The court jester who guarded the cask during the reign of Prince Elector Carl Philip, a Tyrolean dwarf nick-named Perkeo, was supposedly known for his ability to drink large quantities of wine. Legend has it that he died when he mistakenly drank a glass of water.

We stroll the grounds with magnificent views of the town and river below. When we head down we go to the Market square and one of the many restaurants with outside tables and enjoy GT's while the sun slowly slips to dusk.