Public executions and corporal punishments took place on Heidelberg's market square until the 19th century. For example, the Protestant theologian Johannes Sylvanus was executed with the sword in the Heidelberg marketplace in 1572 for spreading heretical antitrinitarian teachings.

Find out what the pretzels on the church wall are all about.

The House of Knights was built in 1592 by the cloth merchant Carolus (Charles) Belier, who had fled the Habsburg Valenciennes because of his Protestant faith and settled in the Electoral Palatinate. The Renaissance building, is the only civic building that survived the great fire of 1693 during the War of the Palatine Succession.

The street is named after a public swimming room, the former middle bath. In the bathroom alleys were various swimming rooms. These were very popular with soldiers, students, monks and professors, not only in the Thirty Years' War. In addition to beer, food and swimming, other services were also offered.

The Old Bridge of Neckar Valley Sandstone was built in 1788 under Elector Karl Theodore as the ninth bridge in total on this site. Today it is one of Heidelberg's most famous sights and landmarks.

The predecessor of today's bridge monkey sat grinning in the niche of the old monkey tower and greeted every stranger mockingly. The tower and figure sank into the depths of the Neckar when the city was destroyed. Instead of him, the new bridge monkey now holds the golden mirror to visitors and welcomes them with a mocking poem that is said to have stood under the original monkey. Unlike its predecessors, the Heidelberg (plush) bridge monkey neither grabs its hindquarters nor displays the mano cornuta (Italian for 'horned hand').

The first Heidelberg Karzer was established in 1545. Those detained here were allowed to buy food and drinks from the surrounding inns (at their own expense, of course) and also had regular release for longer sentences.

Old University, New University, University Library The former Paradeplatz or Ludwigsplatz extends west and south of the Old University and is bounded on the south by the New University. It is located on the main road and covers the foundations of the former Augustinian monastery. Along the western edge of the square, Grabengasse illustrates the course of the first city fortification.

Today, the Witch Tower is the only surviving defensive tower of Heidelberg's medieval city fortifications, which is now located in the area of the New University. The name refers to the period of witch persecution. Some of these towers were actually used at the time to imprison people suspected of witchcraft pending trial, torture and sentencing. Far from the urban hustle and bustle and invisible from the outside, prisoners were tortured and abused. Even if women were acquitted in court, they were held until the court costs were paid.

St. Peter's Church is Heidelberg's oldest church and was built even before the city was probably founded in 1220 or a little earlier: In 1196 St. Peter can be inferred from a document, which at the same time represents the first documentary mention of the village Heidelberg. Not only numerous professors were buried in the church, but also Marsilius von Inghen, the founding rector of Heidelberg University, but also a victim of the so-called Holzlips gang...