Heidelberg Funicular Railway and the Königstuhl Mountain

The Madonna statue on Kornmarkt was erected in the course of recatholisation efforts under Prince Elector Karl Philipp. Created by Peter von den Branden in 1718, the Corn Market Madonna is considered the most beautiful baroque statue in Heidelberg. On the western side of the Kornmarkt stands the stately Palais Prince Carl – from 1788 an inn, till 1915 one of Heidelberg’s leading hotels, today an event venue with a magnificent Mirror Hall - and on the far eastern corner is the pale yellow house of the French Count de Graimberg. Charles de Graimberg became by his own volition and immense efforts the conservator of the castle and the founder of the city’s art collections. Graimberg died in 1864, having lived to see his dream of preserving the castle come true.

Open view on the “Heidelberg scenery“ – Act one: The focus shifts to the romantic castle, which is majestically enthroned above the Karlsplatz. Enjoy a comfortable city tour by bus, accompanied by a tour guide. Act two takes you up to Heidelberg Castle. In addition to an exterior tour, you will visit the inner courtyard and the famous Great Barrel. Take advantage of your castle ticket with a visit of the German Pharmacy Museum and the funicular ride back to the Old Town (Kornmarkt station).

From 1778 to 1914, the university’s young students were briefly imprisoned here for minor offenses, such as willfully disturbing the peace of the citizenry. Many of the inmates passed the time away by immortalizing themselves on the walls of the prison with drawings, silhouettes, and expressive phrases. Their spirited artwork can be admired today on a visit to the prison. A combination ticket is available for entrance to the Alte Aula and the prison (Karzer).

The red sandstone facade of the library, adorned with sculpted figures and portraits, proclaims the significance of the building that presides over some 3 million books. Within, the staircase landings display carved busts of famous scholars, and the library’s regularly changing exhibitions invite a closer look. A special attraction is the "Codex Manesse", the world-famous medieval collection of secular Lieder which once was part of Heidelberg’s Bibliotheca Palatina.

On 1 February 2026, the Concert Hall Stadthalle Heidelberg was reopened after 5 years of renovation. It has provided a home for a wide variety of events in Heidelberg for over 120 years. In order to fulfil the requirements of a modern concert and cultural venue in the future, the interior was extensively and lovingly renovated. Great importance was attached to preserving the historical charm of the building and even restoring the original historical conditions from 1903. The outstanding location of the Concert Hall Stadthalle Heidelberg can now be experienced again. The opening towards the Neckar River makes the building brighter and gives it wide sight lines - the view of the river, into the Neckar valley and across to Philosophenweg is unique. The Great Hall was restored to its original state and equipped with movable floors for flexible use. With stage and sound technology of the highest standard, the renovation of the Voit organ, complete seating with Thonet chairs, optimisation of accessibility and sustainable energy improvements, a unique concert situation has been created for audiences and artists. In keeping with the motto "Modern meetings, historical celebrations", the Concert Hall Stadthalle Heidelberg will offer an ideal complement to the new Heidelberg Congress Centre (HCC) with evening receptions. Dinner events in the Great Hall with up to 600 seats, get-togethers on the newly designed Montpellierplatz and other formats in one of the building's other diverse spaces offer the best conditions for socialising and getting to know each other personally. When vision meets history - then you are in Heidelberg.