Heidelberg

Heidelberg, with Heidelberg Castle
on the hill and the Old Bridge over the river Neckar

Coat of arms

Heidelberg

Coordinates: 49°25′N 08°43′E / 49.417°N 8.717°ECoordinates: 49°25′N 08°43′E / 49.417°N 8.717°E

Country

Government

• Lord Mayor

Dr. Eckart Würzner (Ind.)

Area

• Total

108.83 km² (42.02 sq mi)

Population (2015-12-31)

• Total

156,267

• Density

1,400/km² (3,700/sq mi)

CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)

69115–69126

06221

Website

Heidelberg (German pronunciation: [ˈhaɪdl̩bɛʁk]) is a university city situated on the river Neckar in south-west Germany. At the 2015 census, its population was 156,257, with roughly a quarter of its population being students.

Located about 78 km (48 mi) south of Frankfurt, Heidelberg is the fifth-largest city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. Heidelberg is part of the densely populated Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region.

Founded in 1386, Heidelberg University is Germany's oldest and one of Europe's most reputable universities. A scientific hub in Germany, the city of Heidelberg is home to several internationally renowned research facilities adjacent to its university, including four Max Planck Institutes.

A former residence of the Electorate of the Palatinate, Heidelberg is a popular tourist destination due to its romantic cityscape, including Heidelberg Castle, the Philosophers' Walk, and the baroque style Old Town.

Heidelberg is in the Rhine Rift Valley, on the left bank of the lower part of the Neckar in a steep valley in the Odenwald. It is bordered by the Königsstuhl (568 m) and the Gaisberg (375 m) mountains. The Neckar here flows in an east-west direction. On the right bank of the river, the Heiligenberg mountain rises to a height of 445 meters. The Neckar flows into the Rhine approximately 22 kilometres north-west in Mannheim. Villages incorporated during the 20th century stretch from the Neckar Valley along the Bergstraße, a road running through the Odenwald hills.

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Wikipedia