Heidelberg, lying on the River Neckar, is known as a city since the 12th century.
Heidelberg has the third oldest German speaking University, after Vienna and Prague, and was founded in 1386 as the Ruprecht Karl University.
The castle was built in the 13th century and expanded in the following centuries. It was the residence of the Electoral Palatinate (House of Wittelsbach) until 1720 when the residence was transferred to the city of Mannheim.
The town and castle were destroyed during the War of the Palatinian Succession (1688-1697). The castle has only been partly restored, while the ruins are being preserved.