Thebes ( / ˈ θ iː b z / ; Greek : Θήβα , Thíva [ˈθiva] ; Ancient Greek : Θῆβαι , Thêbai [tʰɛ̂ːbai̯] ) is a city in Boeotia , Central Greece , and is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It is the largest city in Boeotia and a major center for the area along with Livadeia and Tanagra .
147-565: Heidelberg Castle (German: Heidelberger Schloss ) is a ruin in Germany and landmark of Heidelberg . The castle ruins are among the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps. The castle has only been partially rebuilt since its demolition in the 17th and 18th centuries. It is located 80 metres (260 ft) up the northern part of the Königstuhl hillside, and thereby dominates
294-655: A Jewish population of 2,000, the largest Jewish community in any Byzantine city of the 12th century, except for Constantinople. Though severely plundered by the Normans in 1146, Thebes quickly recovered its prosperity and continued to grow rapidly until its conquest by the Latins of the Fourth Crusade in 1205. Thanks to its wealth, the city was selected by the Frankish dynasty de la Roche as its capital, before it
441-590: A fertility rate of 1.1 children per woman in the Stadtkreis ( county ) , Heidelberg had the lowest fertility rate in Baden-Württemberg in 2008. Since 2006, the Oberbürgermeister ( lord mayor ) of Heidelberg has been the independent Eckart Würzner. From 1990 to 2006, the mayor was Beate Weber ( SPD ). The council consists of 48 members with the mayor as chairman. The council
588-435: A commanding elevation, it is buried in green woods, there is no level ground about it, but, on the contrary, there are wooded terraces upon terraces, and one looks down through shining leaves into profound chasms and abysses where twilight reigns and the sun cannot intrude. Nature knows how to garnish a ruin to get the best effect. One of these old towers is split down the middle, and one half has tumbled aside. It tumbled in such
735-522: A complete or partial rebuilding of the castle was not possible, it was possible to preserve it in its current condition. Only the Friedrich Building, whose interiors were fire damaged, but not ruined, would be restored. This reconstruction was done from 1897 to 1900 by Karl Schäfer at the enormous cost of 520,000 Marks. The oldest description of Heidelberg from 1465 mentions that the city is "frequented by strangers", but it did not really become
882-592: A contingent of 400 was sent to Thermopylae and remained there with Leonidas before being defeated alongside the Spartans, the governing aristocracy soon after joined King Xerxes I of Persia with great readiness and fought zealously on his behalf at the Battle of Plataea in 479 BC. The victorious Greeks subsequently punished Thebes by depriving it of the presidency of the Boeotian League and an attempt by
1029-515: A democratic constitution was set up in place of the traditional oligarchy. In the consequent wars with Sparta, the Theban army, trained and led by Epaminondas and Pelopidas , proved itself formidable (see also: Sacred Band of Thebes ). Years of desultory fighting, in which Thebes established its control over all Boeotia, culminated in 371 BC in a remarkable victory over the Spartans at Leuctra . The winners were hailed throughout Greece as champions of
1176-684: A fire which destroyed some rebuilt sections. Heidelberg was first mentioned in 1196 as "Heidelberch". In 1155 Conrad of Hohenstaufen was made the Count Palatine by his half-brother Frederick Barbarossa , and the region became known as the Electoral Palatinate . The claim that Conrad's main residence was on the Schlossberg (Castle Hill), known as the Jettenbühl, cannot be substantiated. The name "Jettenbühl" comes from
1323-652: A half year in England, and though only 17 years old, thereby took up contact with important architects, who later undertook changes and new building plans for the Heidelberg Castle. Inigo Jones and Salomon de Caus , who knew each other well, stood in the service of the English king's court. Caus accompanied the newlyweds on their return journey to Heidelberg. Jones came to Heidelberg as well in June 1613. Very soon,
1470-538: A hostage, and had learnt much of the art of war from Pelopidas . Philip had honoured this fact, always seeking alliances with the Boeotians, even in the lead-up to Chaeronea. Thebes was also revered as the most ancient of Greek cities, with a history of over 1,000 years. Plutarch relates that, during his later conquests, whenever Alexander came across a former Theban, he would attempt to redress his destruction of Thebes with favours to that individual. Following Alexander
1617-501: A multitude of tasteless, crumbling ornaments", for the preservation of the building. Until 1822, he served as a voluntary castle warden, and lived for a while in the Glass Wing (Gläserner Saalbau), where he could keep an eye on the courtyard. Long before the origin of historic preservation in Germany, he was the first person to take an interest in the conservation and documentation of the castle, which may never have occurred to any of
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#17327726284461764-553: A new castle one hundred and more years ago" . Most of the descriptions of the castle up until the 18th century are based on Merian's information. Under Ruprecht I , the court chapel was erected on the Jettenbühl. When Ruprecht became the King of Germany in 1401, the castle was so small that on his return from his coronation, he had to camp out in the Augustinians' monastery, on the site of today's University Square. What he desired
1911-460: A partition and used by both congregations), the Catholic prince-elector moved his court to Mannheim and lost all interest in the castle. When on 12 April 1720, Charles announced the removal of the court and all its administrative bodies to Mannheim, he wished that "Grass may grow on her streets". The religious conflict was probably only one reason for the move to Mannheim. In addition, converting
2058-449: A power vacuum throughout much of Greece, which contributed, in part, to Thebes' besiegement by Demetrius Poliorcetes in 293 BC, and again after a revolt in 292 BC . This last siege was difficult and Demetrius was wounded, but finally he managed to break down the walls and to take the city once more, treating it mildly despite its fierce resistance. The city recovered its autonomy from Demetrius in 287 BC, and became allied with Lysimachus ,
2205-536: A result of the German mediatisation of 1803, Heidelberg and Mannheim became part of Baden . Charles Frederick, Grand Duke of Baden welcomed the addition to his territory, although he regarded Heidelberg Castle as an unwanted addition. The structure was decaying and the townsfolk were helping themselves to stone, wood, and iron from the castle to build their own houses. The statuary and ornaments were also fair game. August von Kotzebue expressed his indignation in 1803 at
2352-541: A row, again setting the castle on fire, which he regarded as a sign from heaven and changed his plans. Victor Hugo , who had come to love the ruins of the castle, also saw it as a divine signal: One could even say that the very heavens had intervened. On 23 June 1764, the day before Karl Theodor was to move into the castle and make it his seat (which, by the bye, would have been a great disaster, for if Karl Theodor had spent his thirty years there, these austere ruins which we today so admire would certainly have been decorated in
2499-611: A severe defeat on an invading force of Athenians at the Battle of Delium , and for the first time displayed the effects of that firm military organization that eventually raised them to predominant power in Greece. After the downfall of Athens at the end of the Peloponnesian War, the Thebans, having learned that Sparta intended to protect the states that Thebes desired to annex, broke off the alliance. In 404 BC, they had urged
2646-582: A signal tower on the bank of the Neckar . They built a wooden bridge based on stone pillars across it. The camp protected the first civilian settlements and was eventually captured by Germanic tribes . The local administrative center in Roman times was the nearby city of Lopodunum, today known as Ladenburg . Modern Heidelberg can trace its beginnings to the fifth century. The village Bergheim ( Mountain Home )
2793-503: A single castle is in 1294. In another document from 1303, two castles are mentioned for the first time: All that is known about the founding of the lower castle is that it took place sometime between 1294 and 1303. The oldest documented references to Heidelberg Castle are found during the 1600s: All of these works are for the most part superficial and do not contain much information. In 1615, Merian 's Topographia Palatinatus Rheni described Prince Elector Ludwig V as he "started building
2940-492: A special Athenian embassy, led by Phocion , an opponent of the anti-Macedonian faction, was able to persuade Alexander to give up his demands for the exile of leaders of the anti-Macedonian party, and most particularly Demosthenes and not sell the people into slavery. Ancient writings tend to treat Alexander's destruction of Thebes as excessive. Plutarch, however, writes that Alexander grieved after his excess, granting them any request of favors, and advising they pay attention to
3087-568: A strong backlash in public meetings and in the press. In 1883, the Grand Duchy of Baden established a "Castle field office", supervised by building director Josef Durm in Karlsruhe , district building supervisor Julius Koch and architect Fritz Seitz . The office made a detailed plan for preserving or repairing the main building. They completed their work in 1890, which led a commission of specialists from across Germany to decide that while
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#17327726284463234-416: A total of about 20,000 people), a historic high. The following table shows the number of inhabitants within the boundaries of the city at the time. To 1833 they are mostly estimates, then census results or official updates of the statistical offices of the time or the city administration. The data refer from 1843 to the "local population", from 1925 to the resident population and since 1987 the "population at
3381-601: A tourist attraction until the beginning of the 19th century. Count Graimberg made the castle a pervasive subject for pictures which became forerunners of the postcard. At the same time, the castle was also found on souvenir cups. Tourism received a big boost when Heidelberg was connected to the railway network in 1840. Mark Twain , the American author, described the Heidelberg Castle in his 1880 travel book A Tramp Abroad : A ruin must be rightly situated, to be effective. This one could not have been better placed. It stands upon
3528-439: A way as to establish itself in a picturesque attitude. Then all it lacked was a fitting drapery, and Nature has furnished that; she has robed the rugged mass in flowers and verdure, and made it a charm to the eye. The standing half exposes its arched and cavernous rooms to you, like open, toothless mouths; there, too, the vines and flowers have done their work of grace. The rear portion of the tower has not been neglected, either, but
3675-493: Is absolutely essential, and I should actually have begun with it.) What times it has been through! Five hundred years long it has been victim to everything that has shaken Europe, and now it has collapsed under its weight. That is because this Heidelberg Castle, the residence of the counts Palatine , who were answerable only to kings, emperors, and popes, and was of too much significance to bend to their whims, but couldn't raise his head without coming into conflict with them, and that
3822-699: Is because, in my opinion, that the Heidelberg Castle has always taken up some position of opposition towards the powerful. Circa 1300, the time of its founding, it starts with a Thebes analogy ; in Count Rudolf and Emperor Ludwig, these degenerate brothers, it has its Eteocles and its Polynices [warring sons of Oedipus ]. Then the prince elector begins to grow in power. In 1400 the Palatine Ruprecht II, supported by three Rhenish prince electors, deposes Emperor Wenceslaus and usurps his position; 120 years later in 1519, Count Palatine Frederick II
3969-407: Is clothed with a clinging garment of polished ivy which hides the wounds and stains of time. Even the top is not left bare, but is crowned with a flourishing group of trees & shrubs. Misfortune has done for this old tower what it has done for the human character sometimes – improved it. In the 20th century, Americans spread Heidelberg's reputation outside Europe. Thus, Japanese also often visit
4116-540: Is directly elected for a term of five years. The task of the council is to decide all the affairs of the city, with the mayor presiding. The council controls the city administration and oversees the enforcement of its decisions. Heidelberg has always been a stronghold of The Greens . For the municipal elections in 2009, they split into the Green Alternative List and Alliance 90/The Greens and each ran their own lists. Together they gained 10 seats to become
4263-675: Is first mentioned for that period in documents dated to 769 AD. Bergheim now lies in the middle of modern Heidelberg. The people gradually converted to Christianity. In 870 AD, the monastery of St. Michael was founded on the Heiligenberg inside the double rampart of the Celtic fortress. Around 1130, the Neuburg Monastery was founded in the Neckar valley. At the same time, the bishopric of Worms extended its influence into
4410-578: Is located in the narrow Neckar valley. Other parts (mostly quarters from around the 19th century or newer, or originally independent, later incorporated villages) sprawl out into the Rhine Plain and along the Bergstraße ( lit. ' mountain road ' ), the narrow strip of characteristic landscape along the sharp border between the plain and the Odenwald mountains. The town is bordered by
4557-593: Is located on the eastern edge of the Upper Rhine Plain ( German : Oberrheinebene ), at the place where the river Neckar leaves its narrow valley through the Odenwald mountains and begins the last leg of its journey across the plain towards Mannheim , where it merges into the Rhine about 20 kilometers downstream. A part of Heidelberg, including the historical old town and the famous Heidelberg Castle ,
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4704-654: Is said that his mother, Louise Juliana of Nassau proclaimed: "Oh, the Palatine is moving to Bohemia." After his escape to Rhenen in the Netherlands , Emperor Ferdinand II in 1621 put the imperial ban on Friedrich ( Prince Electors ). The Rhein Palatinate was transferred in 1623 to Duke Maximilian I of Bavaria , who also bought the Upper Palatinate from the emperor. In Rhenen, to the west of Arnhem ,
4851-457: Is the fifth-largest city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg , and with a population of about 163,000, of which roughly a quarter consists of students, it is Germany's 51st-largest city . Located about 78 km (48 mi) south of Frankfurt , Heidelberg is part of the densely populated Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region which has its center in Mannheim . Heidelberg is located on
4998-403: Is the oldest existing public library in Germany. In 1537, the castle located higher up the mountain was destroyed by a gunpowder explosion. The duke's palace was built at the site of the lower castle. Elector Frederick III , sovereign of the Electoral Palatinate from 1559 to 1576, commissioned the composition of a new Catechism for his territory. While the catechism's introduction credits
5145-643: The Kristallnacht on 9 November 1938, Nazis burned down synagogues at two locations in the city. The next day, they started the systematic deportation of Jews, sending 150 to Dachau concentration camp . On 22 October 1940, during the "Wagner Buerckel event", the Nazis deported 6000 local Jews, including 281 from Heidelberg, to Camp Gurs concentration camp in France. Within a few months, as many as 1000 of them (201 from Heidelberg) died of hunger and disease. Among
5292-563: The Athens–Thessaloniki railway connect Thebes with Athens and northern Greece. The municipality of Thebes covers an area of 830.112 km (320.508 sq mi), the municipal unit of Thebes 321.015 km (123.945 sq mi) and the community 143.889 km (55.556 sq mi). According to the nearby weather station of Aliartos , Thebes has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate ( Köppen climate classification : Csa ) with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. During
5439-567: The Battle of White Mountain on 8 November 1620, Frederick V was on the run as an outlaw and had to release his troops prematurely, leaving the Palatinate undefended against General Tilly , the supreme commander of the Imperial and Catholic League troops. On 26 August 1622, Tilly commenced his attack on Heidelberg, taking the town on 16 September, and the castle a few days later. When the Swedes captured Heidelberg on 5 May 1633 and opened fire on
5586-519: The Council of Constance in 1415 and at the behest of Emperor Sigismund , held the deposed Antipope John XXIII in custody before he was taken to Burg Eichelsheim (today Mannheim-Lindenhof). On a visit to Heidelberg in 1838, the French author Victor Hugo took particular pleasure in strolling among the ruins of the castle. He summarised its history in this letter: But let me talk of its castle. (This
5733-547: The Königstuhl (568 m), the Gaisberg (375 m), and the Heiligenberg (445 m) mountains. Heidelberg is on European walking route E1 (Sweden- Umbria ). Heidelberg is among the warmest regions of Germany, and plants atypical of the central-European climate flourish there, including almond and fig trees , and many kinds of palm trees and olive trees . Alongside the Philosophenweg ( Philosophers' Walk ) on
5880-667: The Latin Archbishop of Thebes , Simon Atumano . Latin hegemony in Thebes lasted to 1458, when the Ottomans captured it. The Ottomans renamed Thebes "İstefe" and managed it until the Greek War of Independence (1821, nominally to 1832) except for a Venetian interlude between 1687 and 1699. In the modern Greek State, Thebes was the capital of the prefecture of Boeotia until the late 19th century, when Livadeia became
6027-662: The Neckar River , at the point where it leaves its narrow valley between the Oden Forest and the Little Oden Forest , and enters the wide Upper Rhine Plain . The old town lies in the valley, the end of which is flanked by the Königstuhl in the south and the Heiligenberg in the north. The majority of the population lives in the districts west of the mountains in the Upper Rhine Plain, into which
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6174-779: The Palatinate-Simmern branch of the Wittelbachs died out, Louis XIV laid claim to the Palatinate and started the War of the Grand Alliance , which laid waste to the Palatine. Liselotte, as she is affectionately known, was forced to look on helplessly as her country was ravaged in her name. Liselotte, granddaughter of Frederick V, was born in Heidelberg Castle and grew up at her aunt Sophia of Hanover 's court in Hanover. She often returned to Heidelberg with her father. At
6321-551: The Persians during the 480 BC invasion under Xerxes I . Theban forces under the command of Epaminondas ended Spartan hegemony at the Battle of Leuctra in 371 BC, with the Sacred Band of Thebes , an elite military unit of male lovers, celebrated as instrumental there. Macedonia would rise in power at the Battle of Chaeronea in 338 BC , bringing decisive victory to Philip II over an alliance of Thebes and Athens. Thebes
6468-530: The Rhein-Neckar-Kreis . The Rhein-Neckar Triangle became a European metropolitan area in 2005. Heidelberg consists of 15 districts distributed in six sectors of the town. In the central area are Altstadt (the Old Town), Bergheim and Weststadt; in the north, Neuenheim and Handschuhsheim; in the east, Ziegelhausen and Schlierbach; in the south, Südstadt , Rohrbach, Emmertsgrund, and Boxberg; in
6615-503: The Treaty of Ryswick was signed, marking the end of the War of the Grand Alliance and finally bringing peace to the town. Plans were made to pull down the castle and to reuse parts of it for a new palace in the valley. When difficulties with this plan became apparent, the castle was patched up. At the same time, Charles III Philip, Elector Palatine played with the idea of completely redesigning
6762-428: The dative - locative case), 𐀳𐀣𐀆 , te-qa-de , for * Tʰēgʷasde ( Θήβασδε , Thēbasde , i.e. "to Thebes"), and 𐀳𐀣𐀊 , te-qa-ja , for * Tʰēgʷaja ( Θηβαία , Thēbaia , i.e. "Theban woman"). * Tʰēgʷai was one of the first Greek communities to be drawn together within a fortified city, and that it owed its importance in prehistoric days—as later—to its military strength. Deger-Jalkotzy claimed that
6909-768: The "entire theological faculty here" (at the University of Heidelberg ) and "all the superintendents and prominent servants of the church" for the composition of the Catechism, Zacharius Ursinus is commonly regarded as the catechism's principal author. Caspar Olevianus (1536–1587) was formerly asserted as a co-author of the document, though this theory has been largely discarded by modern scholarship. Johann Sylvan , Adam Neuser , Johannes Willing, Thomas Erastus , Michael Diller, Johannes Brunner, Tilemann Mumius, Petrus Macheropoeus, Johannes Eisenmenger, Immanuel Tremellius , and Pierre Boquin are all likely to have contributed to
7056-484: The "ruin of the beautiful one" for the "beauty of the ruin." And from here to industrial "production of ruins" the way was clear: like garden gnomes one now sets ruins into the landscape, in order for the landscape to become beautiful . Also Günter Heinemann raises the question of whether one could restore the Heidelberg Castle incompletely. Near the view from the Stück-garden over the deer moat ( Hirschgraben ) of
7203-595: The (now somewhat obscure) name "Agenorids" to denote Thebans. Archaeological excavations in and around Thebes have revealed a Mycenaean settlement and clay tablets written in the Linear B script, indicating the importance of the site in the Bronze Age . Thebes was the largest city of the ancient region of Boeotia and was the leader of the Boeotian confederacy. It was a major rival of ancient Athens , and sided with
7350-463: The 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of worship were built on the Heiligenberg , or "Holy Mountain". Both places can still be identified. In 40 AD, a fort was built and occupied by the 24th Roman cohort and the 2nd Cyrenaican cohort (CCG XXIIII and CCH II CYR). The late Roman Emperor Valentinian I , in 369 AD, built new and maintained older castra (permanent camps) and
7497-619: The Atlantic. Storms ("Orkane") can create severe damage, and the Neckar is often affected by floods. According to the German Meteorological Service , Heidelberg was the warmest place in Germany in 2009. Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, " Heidelberg Man " died at nearby Mauer . His jaw bone was discovered in 1907. Scientific dating determined his remains as the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In
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#17327726284467644-415: The Catechism in some way. Frederick himself wrote the preface to the Catechism and closely oversaw its composition and publication. Frederick, who was officially Lutheran but had strong Reformed leanings, wanted to even out the religious situation of his highly Lutheran territory within the primarily Catholic Holy Roman Empire . The Council of Trent had just concluded with its conclusions and decrees against
7791-747: The Churches and Schools of the Electoral Palatinate .″ In November 1619, the Royal Crown of Bohemia was offered to the Elector, Frederick V . (He was married to Princess Elizabeth , eldest daughter of James VI and I of Scotland and England, respectively.) Frederick became known as the "Winter King", as he reigned for only one winter before the Imperial House of Habsburg regained Bohemia by force. His overthrow in 1621 marked
7938-419: The Emperor offered the crown of Bohemia to Frederick V, Elector Palatine who accepted despite misgivings and in doing so triggered the outbreak of the Thirty Years War . It was during the Thirty Years War that arms were raised against the castle for the first time. This period marks the end of the castle's construction; the centuries to follow brought with them destruction and rebuilding. After his defeat at
8085-466: The English colonies there. In 1720, after assigning a major church for exclusively Catholic use, religious conflicts with the mostly Protestant inhabitants of Heidelberg caused the Roman Catholic Prince-Elector Charles III Philip to transfer his court to nearby Mannheim . The court remained there until the Elector Charles Theodore became Elector of Bavaria in 1777 and established his court in Munich . In 1742, Elector Charles Theodore began rebuilding
8232-764: The Evangelist is also in Thebes and contains Luke's tomb and relics. Modern Thebes is the largest town of the regional unit of Boeotia. In 2011, as a consequence of the Kallikratis reform , Thebes was merged with Plataies , Thisvi , and Vagia to form a larger municipality , which retained the name Thebes. The other three became units of the larger municipality. Archaeological excavations in and around Thebes have revealed cist graves dated to Mycenaean times containing weapons, ivory, and tablets written in Linear B . Its attested name forms and relevant terms on tablets found locally or elsewhere include 𐀳𐀣𐀂 , te-qa-i , understood to be read as * Tʰēgʷai̮s (Ancient Greek: Θήβαις , Thēbais , i.e. "at Thebes", Thebes in
8379-498: The Great while he was campaigning in the north was punished by Alexander and his Greek allies with the destruction of the city (except, according to tradition, the house of the poet Pindar and the temples), and its territory divided between the other Boeotian cities. Moreover, the Thebans themselves were sold into slavery . Alexander spared only priests, leaders of the pro-Macedonian party and descendants of Pindar. The end of Thebes cowed Athens into submission. According to Plutarch,
8526-442: The Great's death in 323 BC, Thebes was re-established in 315 BC by Cassander , one of the diadochi who was ruling in Greece. In restoring Thebes, Cassander sought to rectify the perceived wrongs of Alexander – a gesture of generosity that earned him much goodwill throughout Greece. In addition to currying favor with the Athenians and many of the Peloponnesian states, Cassander's restoration of Thebes provided him with loyal allies in
8673-497: The Heidelberg Castle during their trips to Europe. Heidelberg has, at the beginning of the 21st century, more than three million visitors a year and about 1,000,000 overnight stays. Most of the foreign visitors come either from the USA or Japan. The most important attraction, according to surveys by the Geographical Institute of the University of Heidelberg, is the castle with its observation terraces. The Heidelberg professor Ludwig Giesz wrote, in his 1960 essay titled "Phenomenology of
8820-406: The Heidelberg–Mannheim Autobahn (motorway), which connected to the Mannheim–Darmstadt–Frankfurt Autobahn, and the U.S. Army installations in Mannheim and Frankfurt . The intact rail infrastructure was more important in the late 1940s and early 1950s when most heavy loads were still carried by train, not by truck. Heidelberg had the untouched Wehrmacht barracks, the "Grossdeutschland Kaserne" which
8967-425: The Kitsches" , about the meaning of the ruins for tourism: Ruins are the pinnacle of what we have called "historical" Exoticism. As a jumping off point, a story from experience may serve: in 1945 shortly after the surrender of Germany, when asked by an American soldier who was eagerly "picture-taking" at the Heidelberg Castle how this place of pilgrimage for all Romantics came to be a ruin, I replied mischievously, "it
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#17327726284469114-410: The Palace. In 1764, a lightning bolt destroyed other palace buildings during reconstruction, causing the work to be discontinued. Heidelberg fell to the Grand Duchy of Baden in 1803. Charles Frederick, Grand Duke of Baden , re-founded the university, named "Ruperto-Carola" after its two founders. Notable scholars soon earned it a reputation as a "royal residence of the intellect". In the 18th century,
9261-494: The Palatinate Succession coupled with severe winters, thousands of German Calvinist Palatines emigrated in the early 18th century. They fled to other European cities and especially to London (where the refugees were called "the poor Palatines"). In sympathy for the Protestants, in 1709–1710, Queen Anne's government arranged transport for nearly 6,000 Palatines to New York. Others were transported to Pennsylvania , and to South Carolina . They worked their passage and later settled in
9408-404: The Palatinate and removed his court from Mannheim to Munich . Heidelberg Castle receded even further from his thoughts and the rooms which still had roofs were taken over by craftsmen. Even as early as 1767, the south wall was quarried for stone to build Schwetzingen Castle . In 1784, the vaults in the Ottoheinrich wing were filled in, and the castle used as a source of building materials. As
9555-417: The Palatinate-Baden rebellion of the 1848 Revolutions , Heidelberg was the headquarters of a revolutionary army. It was defeated by a Prussian army near Waghaeusel. The city was occupied by Prussian troops until 1850. Between 1920 and 1933, Heidelberg University became a center of notable physicians Czerny, Erb, and Krehl; and humanists Rohde, Weber, and Gandolf. During the Nazi period (1933–1945), Heidelberg
9702-415: The Protestant faiths, and the Peace of Augsburg had only granted toleration for Lutheranism within the empire where the ruler was Lutheran. One of the aims of the catechism was to counteract the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church as well as Anabaptists and "strict" Gnesio-Lutherans like Tilemann Heshusius and Matthias Flacius , who were resisting Frederick's Reformed influences, particularly on
9849-470: The Rhine (German: Pfalzgraf bei Rhein ). In 1195, the Electorate of the Palatinate passed to the House of Welf through marriage. In 1214, Ludwig I, Duke of Bavaria acquired the Palatinate, as a consequence of which the castle came under his control. By 1303, another castle had been constructed for defense. In 1356, the Counts Palatine were granted far-reaching rights in the Golden Bull , in addition to becoming Electors . In 1386, Heidelberg University
9996-422: The Romantics. Graimberg asked Thomas A. Leger to prepare the first castle guide. With his pictures of the castle, of which many copies were produced, Graimberg promoted the castle ruins and drew many tourists to the town. The question of whether the castle should be completely restored was discussed for a long time. In 1868, the poet Wolfgang Müller von Königswinter argued for a complete reconstruction, leading to
10143-406: The Spartans to expel it from the Delphic amphictyony was only frustrated by the intercession of Athens. In 457 BC Sparta , needing a counterpoise against Athens in central Greece, reversed her policy and reinstated Thebes as the dominant power in Boeotia. The great citadel of Cadmea served this purpose well by holding out as a base of resistance when the Athenians overran and occupied the rest of
10290-401: The Spartans. The result of the war was especially disastrous to Thebes, as the general settlement of 387 BC stipulated the complete autonomy of all Greek towns and so withdrew the other Boeotians from its political control. Its power was further curtailed in 382 BC, when a Spartan force occupied the citadel by a treacherous coup de main . Three years later, the Spartan garrison was expelled and
10437-446: The Swedish army had conquered Heidelberg, imperial forces attempted to recapture the city. They quickly took the city, but were unable to take the castle. As they prepared to blow up its fortifications with gunpowder the French army arrived, 30,000 men strong, led by Urbain de Maillé-Brézé , who had fought in many battles and participated in the Siege of La Rochelle (1627–1628), and Jacques-Nompar de Caumont, duc de La Force . They broke
10584-483: The Theban exiles who returned to resettle the site. Cassander's plan for rebuilding Thebes called for the various Greek city-states to provide skilled labor and manpower, and ultimately it proved successful. The Athenians, for example, rebuilt much of Thebes' wall. Major contributions were sent from Megalopolis , Messene , and as far away as Sicily and Italy. Despite the restoration, Thebes never regained its former prominence. The death of Cassander in 297 BC created
10731-687: The Thirty Years War, Gustav Adolfs Ruhmesblatt and finally the War of the Grand Alliance, the Turennes mission. All of these terrible events have blighted the castle. Three emperors, Louis the Bavarian, Adolf of Nassau, and Leopold of Austria, have laid siege to it; Pio II condemned it; Louis XIV wreaked havoc on it. After the death of Charles II, Elector Palatine , the last in line of the House of Palatinate-Simmern , Louis XIV of France demanded
10878-536: The US Army occupied soon after, renaming it the Campbell Barracks . In 1945, the university was reopened relatively quickly on the initiative of a small group of professors, among whom were the anti-Nazi economist Alfred Weber and the philosopher Karl Jaspers . The surgeon Karl Heinrich Bauer was nominated rector. On 9 December 1945, US Army General George S. Patton was involved in a car accident in
11025-681: The adjacent city of Mannheim and died in the Heidelberg US Army hospital on 21 December 1945. His funeral ceremony was held at the Heidelberg-Weststadt Christuskirche ( Christ Church ) , and he was buried in the 3rd Army cemetery in Luxembourg . During the post-war military occupation , the U.S. Army used the Thingstätte for cultural and religious events. Civilian use started in
11172-617: The age of 19, she was wedded for political reasons to the brother of the king of France. It was not a happy marriage. When her brother Charles died without issue, Louis XIV claimed the Palatinate for himself and declared war on her. Liselotte wrote in a letter to her aunt Sophia in Hanover: Even after thirty-six years in France, she still thought of Heidelberg as her home, and wrote in a letter to Marie Luise von Degenfeld : Heidelberg Heidelberg ( German: [ˈhaɪdl̩bɛʁk] ; Palatine German : Heidlberg )
11319-483: The allied European powers, France's war council decided to destroy all fortifications and to lay waste to the Palatinate ( Brûlez le Palatinat! ), in order to prevent an enemy attack from this area. As the French withdrew from the castle on 2 March 1689, they set fire to it and blew the front off the Fat Tower. Portions of the town were also burned, but the mercy of a French general, René de Froulay de Tessé , who told
11466-599: The arts, especially literature, throughout the centuries, and it was designated a " City of Literature " by the UNESCO Creative Cities Network . Heidelberg was a seat of government of the former Electorate of the Palatinate and is a popular tourist destination due to its romantic cityscape, including Heidelberg Castle , the Philosophers' Walk , and the Baroque old town. Heidelberg
11613-573: The average in Germany (usually mid February in the recent years). While the weather in spring is typically warm, it is also known to change far more often than in the summer. Summer starts typically in June and stays until September. In this time the weather is typically stable, with single thunderstorms marking the only precipitation. Day temperatures of around 30 °C are typical, but can reach up to 40 °C during heat waves. Autumn starts warm in September and cools down to typical winter temperatures for
11760-522: The balance of power against its ally, preventing the formation of a Theban empire. With the death of Epaminondas at the Battle of Mantinea (362 BC) , the city sank again to the position of a secondary power. In the Third Sacred War (356–346 BC) with its neighbor Phocis , Thebes lost its predominance in central Greece. By asking Philip II of Macedon to crush the Phocians, Thebes extended
11907-454: The battlefield where the Battle of Plataea took place. The proximity to other, more famous travel destinations, like Athens and Chalkis , and the undeveloped archaeological sites have kept the tourist numbers low. A notable portion of the inhabitants of Thebes are Arvanites . The record of the earliest days of Thebes was preserved among the Greeks in an abundant mass of legends that rival
12054-722: The beginning of the Thirty Years' War . In 1622, after a siege of two months , the armies of the Catholic League , commanded by Johann Tserclaes, Count of Tilly , captured the town. Tilly gave the famous Bibliotheca Palatina from the Church of the Holy Spirit to the Pope as a present. The Catholic and Bavarian House of Wittelsbach gained control over the Palatinate and the title of Prince-Elector. In late 1634, after
12201-492: The building of an enormous garden was tackled. However, the plants were intended for level ground, and the slope of the mountain had to be converted. First earth movements had to be achieved, which contemporaries regarded as the eighth wonder of the world. Under the rule of Frederick V, the Palatine sought Protestant supremacy in the Holy Roman Empire , which however ended in a debacle. After 1619, Frederick V—against
12348-430: The capital. Today, Thebes is a bustling market town , known for its many products and wares. Until the 1980s, it had a flourishing agrarian production with some industrial complexes. However, during the late 1980s and 1990s the bulk of industry moved further south, closer to Athens . Tourism in the area is based mainly in Thebes and the surrounding villages, where many places of interest related to antiquity exist such as
12495-540: The castle from the Königstuhl hill behind it, the commander of the Catholic League garrison handed over the castle. The following year, the emperor's troops tried to recapture the castle, but it was not until July 1635 that they succeeded. It remained in their possession until the Peace of Westphalia ending the Thirty Years War was signed. The new ruler, Charles Louis (Karl Ludwig) and his family did not move into
12642-418: The castle many times. He and his fellow Romantic painters were not interested in faithful portrayals of the building and gave artistic licence free rein. For example, Turner's paintings of the castle show it perched far higher up on the hill than it actually is. The saviour of the castle was the French count Charles de Graimberg . He fought the government of Baden, which viewed the castle as an "old ruin with
12789-473: The castle, but shelved the project due to lack of funds. He did, however, famously install Perkeo of Heidelberg , his favorite court jester, to watch over the castle's wine stock. Perkeo later became the unofficial mascot of the city. In 1720, Charles came into conflict with the town's Protestants as a result of fully handing over the Church of the Holy Spirit to the Catholics (it had previously been split by
12936-501: The city has expanded over time. Heidelberg University , founded in 1386, is Germany's oldest and one of Europe's most reputable universities. Heidelberg is a scientific hub in Germany and home to several internationally renowned research facilities adjacent to its university, including the European Molecular Biology Laboratory and four Max Planck Institutes . The city has also been a hub for
13083-405: The city of Heidelberg, beginning in the west and in a clockwise direction: Edingen-Neckarhausen , Dossenheim , Schriesheim , Wilhelmsfeld , Schönau , Neckargemünd , Bammental , Gaiberg , Leimen , Sandhausen , Oftersheim , Plankstadt , Eppelheim (all part of the Rhein-Neckar-Kreis ), and Mannheim . Heidelberg has an oceanic climate ( Köppen climate classification Cfb ), defined by
13230-428: The city served as a regional administrative center, home to a local elite, a major producer of silk textiles, and an important regional market, all of which contributed to urban and demographic growth. Although there is no specific data on Thebes' overall population, estimates suggest it housed between 20,000 and 30,000 inhabitants, typical for a major Byzantine provincial city. Benjamin of Tudela reported that Thebes had
13377-542: The claim, in part because of religious differences between local Protestants and the French Catholics, as the Protestant Reformation had divided the peoples of Europe. The War of the Grand Alliance ensued. In 1689, French troops took the town and castle, bringing nearly total destruction to the area in 1693. As a result of the destruction due to repeated French invasions related to the War of
13524-437: The complete destruction of Athens; yet, in 403 BC, they secretly supported the restoration of its democracy in order to find in it a counterpoise against Sparta. A few years later, influenced perhaps in part by Persian gold, they formed the nucleus of the league against Sparta. At the Battle of Haliartus (395 BC) and the Battle of Coronea (394 BC), they again proved their rising military capacity by standing their ground against
13671-482: The country (457–447 BC). In the Peloponnesian War , the Thebans, embittered by the support that Athens gave to the smaller Boeotian towns, and especially to Plataea, which they vainly attempted to reduce in 431 BC, were firm allies of Sparta, which in turn helped them to besiege Plataea and allowed them to destroy the town after its capture in 427 BC. In 424 BC, at the head of the Boeotian levy, they inflicted
13818-687: The deportees from Heidelberg, the poet Alfred Mombert (1872–1942) left the concentration camp in April 1941 thanks to the Swiss poet Hans Reinhart but died shortly thereafter due to illness he contracted while held prisoner. From 1942, the deportees who had survived internment in Gurs were deported to Eastern Europe, where most of them were murdered. The U.S. 44th Infantry Division took part in combat in Western Europe throughout 1944 and early 1945, and
13965-564: The division's artillery commander, Brigadier General William A. Beiderlinden , became the subject of international headlines in March 1945, when he helped save Heidelberg from bombing by persuading Nazi troops to withdraw. When his command was ordered to shell the city, Beiderlinden took the initiative to contact the burgomaster and attempt to persuade Nazi soldiers to abandon their positions. Though burgomasters were forbidden from conducting such talks, Heidelberg's burgomaster ignored warnings from
14112-457: The early to mid-1980s for occasional concerts and other cultural events. Today, the celebrations on Hexennacht ( German for 'Witches' Night'), also called Walpurgis Night , the night of 30 April, are a regular "underground" fixture at the Thingstätte . Thousands of mostly young people congregate there to drum, to breathe fire, and to juggle. The event has gained fame throughout
14259-664: The expressed advice of many counsellors—was chosen as the Bohemian king, he could not maintain the crown after he lost at the Battle of White Mountain (Bílá hora) (height 379m/1243 ft) against the troops of the Emperor and the Catholic League . He was mocked as the "Winter King" since his kingdom had lasted only somewhat more than one winter. With the Thirty Years War , Frederick V entered another phase of his career: political refugee. As Frederick V left Heidelberg, it
14406-466: The family lived on saved public funds and the generous support of the English king, initially also of the Netherlands, united by the support of the government. For the remainder of his life, Frederick hoped to win back his position in the Palatinate, but he died in exile in 1632. Elizabeth Charlotte, Princess Palatine was the duchess of Orléans and the sister-in-law of Louis XIV of France. When
14553-460: The first time in 1946. It is a city with an international population, including one of the largest American communities outside North America, but this is not analysed in the Heidelberg population statistics. At the end of December 2011, the city had 149,633 inhabitants with an official primary residence in Heidelberg (not including the soldiers and employees of the U.S. Army and their dependents,
14700-561: The former's power within dangerous proximity to its frontiers. The revulsion of popular feeling in Thebes was expressed in 338 BC by the orator Demosthenes , who persuaded Thebes to join Athens in a final attempt to bar Philip's advance on Attica. The Theban contingent lost the decisive battle of Chaeronea and along with it every hope of reassuming control over Greece. Philip was content to deprive Thebes of its dominion over Boeotia; but an unsuccessful revolt in 335 BC against his son Alexander
14847-454: The government of Baden's intention to pull down the ruins. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the ruined castle had become a symbol for the patriotic movement against Napoleon . Even before 1800, artists had come to see the river, the hills and the ruins of the castle as an ideal ensemble. The best depictions are those of England's J. M. W. Turner , who stayed in Heidelberg several times between 1817 and 1844, and painted Heidelberg and
14994-473: The huge Thingstätte amphitheatre on the Heiligenberg north of the town, for Nazi Party and SS events. A few months later, the inauguration of the huge Ehrenfriedhof memorial cemetery completed the second and last NSDAP project in Heidelberg. This cemetery is on the southern side of the old part of town, a little south of the Königstuhl hilltop, and faces west towards France. During World War II and after, Wehrmacht soldiers were buried there. During
15141-686: The invasion of Asia, and that if he failed, Thebes might once again become the ruling city-state. Although Thebes had traditionally been antagonistic to whichever state led the Greek world, siding with the Persians when they invaded against the Athenian-Spartan alliance, siding with Sparta when Athens seemed omnipotent, and famously derailing the Spartan invasion of Persia by Agesilaus . Alexander's father Philip had been raised in Thebes, albeit as
15288-676: The king of Thrace, and the Aetolian League . After the dissolution of the Boeotian League after the Achaean War of 146 BC, Thebes came under Roman rule. In 27 BC, the city was included in the newly established Province of Achaia. Thebes was assigned to the Eastern Roman Empire after the imperial division of 395. During the early Byzantine period it served as a place of refuge against foreign invaders. In
15435-519: The late 6th century BC, the Thebans were brought for the first time into hostile contact with the Athenians , who helped the small village of Plataea to maintain its independence against them, and in 506 BC repelled an inroad into Attica. The aversion to Athens best serves to explain the apparently unpatriotic attitude which Thebes displayed during the Persian invasion of Greece (480–479 BC). Though
15582-719: The late 7th century, Justinian II created the Theme of Hellas with Thebes as the capital. The Holy church of Luke the Evangelist was built around the 10th century to commemorate the saint's tomb and relics at the location of his death. During the Byzantine–Bulgarian war of 913–927 , Thebes was sacked by Simeon I of Bulgaria . From the 10th century, Thebes became a centre of the new silk trade, its silk workshops boosted by imports of soaps and dyes from Athens. The growth of this trade in Thebes continued to such an extent that by
15729-565: The late LHIIIB, according to Palaima, * Tʰēgʷai was able to pull resources from Lamos near Mount Helicon , and from Karystos and Amarynthos on the Greek side of the isle of Euboia . As attested already in Homer 's Iliad , Thebes was often called "Seven-Gated Thebes" (Θῆβαι ἑπτάπυλοι, Thebai heptapyloi ) ( Iliad , IV.406) to distinguish it from " Hundred-Gated Thebes " (Θῆβαι ἑκατόμπυλοι, Thebai hekatompyloi ) in Egypt ( Iliad , IX.383). In
15876-455: The local Nazi gauleiter and discussed the matter with Beiderlinden. The negotiations focused on the importance of sparing Heidelberg University and other historic and culturally significant sites. Beiderlinden and the burgomaster agreed to terms, and the Nazis spared the city by evacuating. On 29 March 1945, German troops left the city after destroying three arches of the old bridge, Heidelberg's treasured river crossing. They also destroyed
16023-639: The matter of Eucharist ( the Lord's Supper ). The Catechism-based each of its statements on biblical proof-texts , and Frederick himself would defend it as biblical, not reformed, at the 1566 Diet of Augsburg when he was called to answer to charges of violating the Peace of Augsburg. This was the Heidelberg Catechism , officially called the ″Catechism, or Christian Instruction, according to the Usages of
16170-473: The middle of the 12th century, the city had become the biggest producer of silks in the entire Byzantine empire, surpassing even the Byzantine capital, Constantinople . The women of Thebes were famed for their skills at weaving. Theban silk was prized above all others during this period, both for its quality and its excellent reputation. Benjamin of Tudela visited Thebes around 1161 or 1162. At that time,
16317-417: The more modern bridge downstream. The U.S. Army ( 63rd Infantry , 7th Army) entered the town on 30 March 1945. The civilian population surrendered without resistance. Heidelberg, unlike most German cities and towns, was spared from Allied bombing raids during the war. A popular belief is that Heidelberg escaped bombing because the U.S. Army wanted to use the city as a garrison after the war, but, as Heidelberg
16464-573: The myths of Troy in their wide ramification and the influence that they exerted on the literature of the classical age. Five main cycles of story may be distinguished: The Greeks attributed the foundation of Thebes to Cadmus, a Phoenician king from Tyre (now in Lebanon) and the brother of Queen Europa . Cadmus was famous for teaching the Phoenician alphabet and building the Acropolis , which
16611-454: The old-fashioned hill-top castle into a Baroque palace would have been difficult and costly. By moving down into the plain, the prince-elector was able to construct a new palace, Mannheim Palace , that met his every wish. Karl Phillip's successor Karl Theodor planned to move his court back to Heidelberg Castle. However, on 24 June 1764, lightning struck the Saalbau (court building) twice in
16758-562: The opposite side of the Old Town, winegrowing was restarted in 2000. There is a wild population of African rose-ringed parakeets , and a wild population of Siberian swan geese , which can be seen mainly on the islands in the Neckar near the district of Bergheim. Heidelberg is a unitary authority within the Regierungsbezirk Karlsruhe . The Rhein-Neckar-Kreis rural district surrounds it and has its seat in
16905-589: The oppressed. They carried their arms into Peloponnesus and at the head of a large coalition, permanently crippled the power of Sparta, in part by freeing many helot slaves, the basis of the Spartan economy. Similar expeditions were sent to Thessaly and Macedon to regulate the affairs of those regions. The predominance of Thebes was short-lived, as the states that it protected refused to subject themselves permanently to its control. Thebes renewed its rivalry with Athens, which had joined with them in 395 BC in fear of Sparta, but since 387 BC had endeavoured to maintain
17052-483: The pompadour style); on this day, then, with the prince's furnishings already arrived and waiting in the Church of the Holy Spirit, fire from heaven hit the octagonal tower, set light to the roof, and destroyed this five-hundred-year-old castle in very few hours. In the following decades, basic repairs were made, but Heidelberg Castle remained essentially a ruin. In 1777, Karl Theodor became ruler of Bavaria in addition to
17199-520: The protected valley between the Pfälzerwald and the Odenwald. The almost year round warm temperatures are usually determined by Atlantic air masses in the winter and increased influence from the western Mediterranean in summer. In contrast to the nearby Upper Rhine Plain , Heidelberg's position in the valley leads to more frequent easterly winds than average. The hillsides of the Odenwald favor clouding and precipitation. Spring starts earlier than
17346-433: The region by the end of November. Precipitation levels begin to increase and, due to the decreasing sunlight, the region is affected by fog more frequently from the second part of October onwards. Winters are mostly mild, though light nighttime frosts do occur in the coldest months. Snow is a rare event, and precipitation normally falls as rain. Winters are the wettest time of the year, with frequent western winds blowing from
17493-491: The region, as well as a certain notoriety due to the amount of litter left behind. Officially, this event is forbidden due to security concerns. The City declares it will fence the Thingstätte and prosecute any trespassers. In 2022, a mass shooting occurred in the university , killing a woman and injuring three other people. The gunman then committed suicide. The population of the city of Heidelberg exceeded 100,000 for
17640-426: The ruined castle until 7 October 1649. Victor Hugo summarized these and the following events: In 1619, Frederick V, then a young man, seized the crown of the kings of Bohemia, against the will of the emperor, and in 1687, Philip William, Count Palatine, by then an old man, assumes the title of prince-elector, against the will of the king of France. This was to cause Heidelberg battles and never-ending tribuluations,
17787-558: The ruins: The important culture and era critic Günther Anders pointed out that—contrary to widespread opinion—the Romantic Era did not first admire the view for the "beauty of the ruin." Rather the following inversion took place: the Renaissance (like the first generation) admired the ancient Torso, "not because, but although it was a Torso". One found beauty, but "unfortunately" (!) only as ruin. The second generation inverted
17934-494: The siege and drove off the Imperial forces. In 1648, at the end of the war, Frederick V's son Charles I Louis, Elector Palatine , was able to recover his titles and lands. To strengthen his dynasty, Charles I Louis arranged the marriage of his daughter Liselotte to Philip I, Duke of Orléans , brother of Louis XIV , King of France. In 1685, after the death of Charles Louis' son, Elector Charles II , King Louis XIV laid claim to his sister-in-law's inheritance. The Germans rejected
18081-598: The site of their main dwelling." Prior to 1843 the population was determined by non-uniform collection procedures. Heidelberg has currently a population of about 160,000 and is the 5th largest city in Baden-Württemberg . About 37,000 (24% of the population) are students, which makes Heidelberg one of the largest university city in Germany. Heidelberg's population has grown since 1945 (after the WWII) and has almost never declined due to its popularity of this city where many workers, students and entrepreneurs moved to Heidelberg. With
18228-461: The soothsayer Jetta, who was said to have lived there. She is also associated with Wolfsbrunnen (Wolf's Spring) and the Heidenloch (Heathens' Well). The first mention of a castle in Heidelberg (Latin: " castrum in Heidelberg cum burgo ipsius castri ") is in 1214, when Louis I, Duke of Bavaria of the House of Wittelsbach received it from Hohenstaufen Emperor Friedrich II . The last mention of
18375-420: The sound condition of the castle that have been handed down permitted this. But it would take the unique phenomenon to Heidelberg that the castle in its ruinous condition has to register a considerable profit at aesthetic values. A rebuilt castle would equal a disenchantment, would be certification of an inadequate displacement process of history opposite, and granted to participating nature no more clearance. Which
18522-634: The southwest, Kirchheim ; in the west, Pfaffengrund, Wieblingen, and a new district, named Bahnstadt , is built on land in Weststadt and Wieblingen. The new district will have approximately 5,000–6,000 residents and employment for 7,000. Further, new residential space for 10,000–15,000 residents was made available in Patrick Henry Village following the departure of the US Armed Forces. The following towns and communes border
18669-545: The statue base from Kom el-Hetan in Amenhotep III 's kingdom ( LHIII A:1) mentions a name similar to Thebes, spelled out quasi-syllabically in hieroglyphs as d-q-e-i-s , and considered to be one of four tj-n3-jj ( Danaan ?) kingdoms worthy of note (alongside Knossos and Mycenae). * Tʰēgʷai in LHIIIB lost contact with Egypt but gained it with "Miletus" ( Hittite : Milawata ) and "Cyprus" (Hittite: Alashija ). In
18816-604: The strongest force for the first time. In September 2011, two members of the GAL Group joined the Alliance 90/The Greens, so that together with the members of generation.hd, they formed the largest group in the council. Thebes, Greece It played an important role in Greek myths , as the site of the stories of Cadmus , Oedipus , Dionysus , Heracles and others. One myth had the city founded by Agenor , which gave rise to
18963-642: The surrender of the allodial title in favor of the Duchess of Orléans, Elizabeth Charlotte, Princess Palatine who he claimed was the rightful heir to the Simmern lands. On 29 September 1688, the French troops marched into the Palatinate of the Rhine and on 24 October moved into Heidelberg, which had been deserted by Philipp Wilhelm , the new Elector Palatine from the line of Palatinate-Neuburg . At war against
19110-607: The town was rebuilt in the Baroque style on the old medieval layout. In 1810 the French Revolution refugee Count Charles Graimberg began to preserve the palace ruins and establish a historical collection. In 1815, the Emperor of Austria , the Emperor of Russia and the King of Prussia formed the " Holy Alliance " in Heidelberg. In 1848, the German National Assembly was held there. In 1849, during
19257-436: The town's gates and took it on 22 May. However, they did not attain control of the castle and destroyed the town in attempt to weaken the castle's main support base. The castle's occupants capitulated the next day. Now the French took the opportunity to finish off the work started in 1689, after their hurried exit from the town. The towers and walls that had survived the last wave of destruction, were blown up with mines. In 1697
19404-667: The town, although the town is not a part of the district. Heidelberg is a part of the Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region, often referred to as the Rhein-Neckar Triangle . This region consists of the southern part of the State of Hessen , the southern part of the State of Rhineland-Palatinate ( Vorderpfalz ), the administrative districts of Mannheim and Heidelberg, and the municipalities of
19551-424: The townspeople to set small fires in their homes to create smoke and the illusion of widespread burning, prevented wider destruction. Immediately upon his accession in 1690, Johann Wilhelm, Elector Palatine had the walls and towers rebuilt. When the French again reached the gates of Heidelberg in 1691 and 1692, the town's defenses were so good that they did not gain entry. On 18 May 1693 the French were yet again at
19698-498: The understanding at realization clarity would win, would be lost to the mind at turn depth. Timeline of events for Heidelberg Castle: Frederick V, Elector Palatine married the English king's daughter Elizabeth Stuart . The marriage involved great expense. Expensive festivities were organized and for them; he commissioned the Elizabeth gate at the piece garden be built. From October 1612 until April 1613, Frederick V spent nearly
19845-479: The valley, founding Schönau Abbey in 1142. Modern Heidelberg can trace its roots to this 12th-century monastery. The first reference to Heidelberg can be found in a document in Schönau Abbey dated to 1196. This is considered to be the town's founding date. In 1156, Heidelberg castle and its neighboring settlement were taken over by the house of Hohenstaufen . Conrad of Hohenstaufen became Count Palatine of
19992-617: The view of the old downtown. It is served by an intermediate station on the Heidelberger Bergbahn funicular railway that runs from Heidelberg's Kornmarkt to the summit of the Königstuhl. The earliest castle structure was built before 1214 and later expanded into two castles circa 1294; however, in 1537, a lightning bolt destroyed the upper castle. The present structures had been expanded by 1650, before damage by later wars and fires. In 1764, another lightning bolt caused
20139-415: The well-kept ruins of the castle interior, he asks himself whether one should not redevelop the whole area again. Automatically one thinks, who would dedicate oneself to the devoted care of these enormous walls, were they to be constructed again. As to expenditure that does not make much difference, but how would it be arranged! It would require seeds of its historical imaginings, as far as extant pictures of
20286-401: The winter months, Thebes is sometimes affected by the Aegean sea-effect snow , with snow depths reaching over 50 centimetres (20 in) on several occasions. Due to its inland location, Thebes may also record very low minimums. In recent years, as registered by the meteorological station operated by the National Observatory of Athens within the city limits, the record minimum temperature
20433-423: Was a major force in Greek history prior to its destruction by Alexander the Great in 335 BC, and was the most dominant city-state at the time of the Macedonian conquest of Greece. During the Byzantine period, the city was famous for its silks. The modern city contains an archaeological museum, the remains of the Cadmea (Bronze Age and forward citadel), and scattered ancient remains. The Holy Church of Luke
20580-435: Was a stronghold of the NSDAP /Nazi party (the National Socialist German Workers' Party), the strongest party in the elections before 1933 (the NSDAP obtained 30% at the communal elections of 1930 ). The NSDAP received 45.9% of the votes in the German federal election of March 1933 (the national average was 43.9%). In 1934 and 1935 the Reichsarbeitsdienst ( State Labor Service ) and Heidelberg University students built
20727-441: Was destroyed by American bombs." The reaction of the soldiers was very instructive. I will speculate briefly: the shock to their consciousness—stemming from an aesthetic, not an ethical problem—was extraordinary: the "ruin" no longer appeared beautiful to them; on the contrary, they regretted (thus: with realistic present consciousness) the recent destruction of a large building. Professor Ludwig Giesz goes further in his remarks about
20874-450: Was founded by Rupert I, Elector Palatine . Heidelberg University played a leading part in Medieval Scholasticism , Renaissance humanism , the German Reformation , and in the subsequent conflict between Lutheranism and Calvinism during the 15th and 16th centuries. In April 1518, a few months after proclaiming his Ninety-five Theses , Martin Luther was received in Heidelberg, to defend them. Heidelberg's library, founded in 1421,
21021-412: Was more space for his entourage and court and to impress his guests, but also additional defences to turn the castle into a fortress. After Ruprecht's death in 1410, his land was divided between his four sons. The Palatinate, the heart of his territories, was given to the eldest son, Ludwig III . Ludwig was the representative of the emperor and the supreme judge, and it was in this capacity that he, after
21168-459: Was named the Cadmeia in his honor and was an intellectual, spiritual, and cultural center. Thebes is situated in a plain, between Lake Yliki (ancient Hylica ) to the north, and the Cithaeron mountains, which divide Boeotia from Attica , to the south. Its elevation is 215 m (705 ft) above mean sea level . It is about 50 km (31 mi) northwest of Athens , and 100 km (62 mi) southeast of Lamia . The A1 motorway and
21315-417: Was neither an industrial center nor a transport hub, it did not present a tactical or strategic target. Other notable university towns, such as Tübingen and Göttingen , were spared bombing as well. Allied air raids focused extensively on the nearby industrial cities of Mannheim and Ludwigshafen . The U.S. Army may have chosen Heidelberg as a garrison base because of its excellent infrastructure, including
21462-408: Was permanently moved to Athens. After 1240, the Saint Omer family controlled the city jointly with the de la Roche dukes. The castle built by Nicholas II of Saint Omer on the Cadmea was one of the most beautiful of Frankish Greece. After its conquest in 1311 the city was used as a capital by the short-lived state of the Catalan Company . In 1379, the Navarrese Company took the city with the aid of
21609-492: Was to create the young King Charles I of Spain Emperor Charles V . It was during the reign of Louis V, Elector Palatine (1508–1544) that Martin Luther came to Heidelberg to defend one of his theses ( Heidelberg Disputation ) and paid a visit to the castle. He was shown around by Louis's younger brother, Wolfgang, Count Palatine , and in a letter to his friend George Spalatin praises the castle's beauty and its defenses. In 1619, Bohemian Protestant estates rebelling against
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