The proud residence of prince-electors of the Palatinate
In the 13th century, the counts of the Palatinate along the Rhine river, and later the electoral-princes above Heidelberg, erected their first Heidelberg residence. Over the centuries, the fortified medieval castle became a representative castle. Today, Heidelberg Castle, with its Renaissance castles, is one of the most significant cultural monuments in Germany. A high point of this Electoral Palatinate architecture was the addition of the famous "Hortus Palatinus" castle garden in the early 17th century.