Steve Mueller's Digital Scrapbook

Europe 2002

Thursday May 16
Heidelberg, Germany

Leaving Rothenburg, we headed west on a series of backroads. Our destination was Heidelberg. Country roads that traverse the heartland of rural Germany may seem quaint when planning a trip, but they do not represent an efficient route to quickly travel between two locations. Strings of cars accumulate behind slow-moving tractors and lorries, and the opportunity to pass on these winding hilly roads rarely materializes. Once off the backroads, Heidelberg is not difficult to find- just follow the tour buses.

During previous travels in Europe, we have never discovered a "bad" destination. Whether in major metropolitan areas such as Paris and Amsterdam, or in the rural regions of Belgium and Bavaria, we always had a blast. I have sometimes wondered if there was any place in Europe that we could possibly find disappointing. Unfortunately, we now know that at least one such place does exist - Heidelberg.

If Heidelberg were not so zealously promoted by the travel industry, a tourist that accidentally stumbled upon the place might conceivably regard it as a mildy pleasant surprise. Given the level of hyperbole, however, it is guaranteed to disappoint. Heidelberg is not merely an overrated tourist trap, it is the Wall Drug of Europe. Neither a large city or a small town, Heidelberg seems to epitomize the worst of both. A mixture of big city crowds and small town provincialism makes this a difficult place to love. Due, in part, to inconsistent installation of street signs, we spent at least an hour trying to find our hotel. Navigating the streets of Heidelberg by car is unnecessarily confusing. Parking is also frustrating. It seems as if the city planners simply assume that everyone knows where to go and how to get there (thus the accusation of provincialism). It is a pity that there are people, most of whom have only seen Germany from the confines of a guided tour, who adamantly believe that Heidelberg is the best that this country has to offer.

While promoters of Heidelberg boast that the city suffered minimal damage during the Second World War, they fail to mention that much of the town was demolished during one of Louis XIV's rampages. Although an American town reconstructed in the 17^th century would be historically significant, by European standards such a town is unremarkable. In addition, the entire city was unrelentingly reconstructed in the Baroque style that was all the rage at that time. It is as if the builders and planners were obsessed with a single vision of cuteness. One of the reasons that I have such a deep affection for old European towns is the architectural diversity that they embody. On an individual level, some of the structures in Heidelberg are indeed quite beautiful. Collectively, however, the buildings of Heidelberg appear monotonous.

The most visible reminder of the carnage inflicted by Louis XIV is the crumbling castle that towers above the town. Compared to other German castles, such as those along the Rhine Valley or built by King Ludwig, the castle of Heidelberg is of minimal interest. The castle grounds, however, do offer decent views of the town. The setting of Heidelberg, nestled in wooded hills along the Neckar River, is more beautiful than the town itself. After the castle, the most famous structure in Heidelberg is the Altebrücke (Old Bridge). Despite its aged appearance, like most German bridges, it is a post-WWII replica.

After a half-day of sightseeing, we spent a few hours browsing along the Hauptstrasse, which is a mile-long pedestrian shopping zone. Fortunately, we had only scheduled a single night in Heidelberg- the only town on the trip where we had not planned to spend at least two nights. We saw the best of what Heidelberg had to offer and were not impressed. We were ready to move on.

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