European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 21, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                4 a a mls get a a a b 4 shoppers crowd the Haup Strasse on a sunny Day. At right intricate metalwork adorns the Sta Thalle. Below a passer by studies the titles of books. It a a at 2cs it r Ca it r h Cluj Symbol of the City a i in Quot a it a t up of amp at Heidelberg Castle looks Down on the Neckar Valley. The Castle grounds Are crisscrossed with paths designed for Short strolls or longer walks. No visit to Heidelberg is Complete without a hike up the Cobblestone pathway Burg Weg to the Castle. This functional ruin part fortress and part Palace is an architectural Hodgepodge and the City s Best known visual Symbol. From its shattered parapets visitors can gaze Down on the red tile roofs of the City spread out like a diorama in the Valley below. The narrowness of the Valley squeezed Between ridges of Hills tends to for shorten the scene so it seems you can reach out and touch the pedestrians  Bridge the Crews in the racing shells gliding downriver. Certain sounds from below seem to be amplified a Workman shouting a Power saw a banging door. Started at the beginning of the 14th Century the Castle was built in stages Over the next 400 years. The various sections reflect the prevailing architectural trends of the times. Visitors standing in the Castle courtyard need Only turn their Heads to see a Potpourri of styles from Early gothic to Renaissance. One of the Structure s unifying elements is that it is constructed almost entirely of the Region s prevailing red Sandstone this gives it a burnished warmth that is in Sharp contrast to the granitic Gray of Many castles. Among the noteworthy sections of the Castle Are the Friedrich building with its Many statues adorning its facade the great Terrace and the Ottheinric building. The German pharmaceutical museum is located in the basement of the Ottheinric h building. Foremost among the attractions inside the Castle is the great vat reputedly the largest wine Keg in the world with a capacity of nearly 58,000 Gallons. Outside the Castle Walls the Castle Garden located near the Southeast Corner is Ideal for strolling and relaxing with the kids. Several times during the summer the City holds Castle illuminations lighting up the Structure with spectacular displays of fireworks and flares. The Karl Theodor Bridge is also lit up and transformed into a fiery Waterfall. During the illuminations the entire old town becomes a fest site with the biggest crowds thronging the Banks of the Neckar to sit on blankets and watch the spectacle. Some accounts say the illuminations continue a tradition that dates to 1815, when the King of Prussia the emperor of Austria and the Czar of Russia met in a Heidelberg to forge a Quot holy Alliance Quot against Napoleon. Other versions report that the spectacle harks Back either to the Celebration held in Honor of elector Friedrich v and his English Bride Elizabeth a in 1613 or the Castle s destruction by the French in 1693 during the War of succession. The annual Schloss Spiele Castle festival Days held during August feature musical and theatrical performances. Castle Tours Are conducted daily from 9 . To 5 . Cost is 4 Marks for adults and 2 Marks for students retirees and children 7 to 17. A family ticket is available for 9 Marks. For those who want to View Only the great vat ticket prices Are Mark and 50 pfennig respectively. A a Norm Zeigler March 21, 1991 stripes Magazine 11