The Sun.
London, England, 1825-12-06 00:00:00

DESCRIPTION OF' PLACES, &c.

H EIDELBERG.—This town is delighttuttysttuat-
ed on the Banks of the Nsckar, and at the foot of hills covered
with luxuriant woods. For several miles above the town, the
Neckar flows through a narrow and romantic valley, presenting
all that bold and precipitous rocks, rich verdure, and neat
buildings, can unite to delight the eye. But the castb gUlei-
delberg, once the residence of the Electors Palatine, MI de-
stroyed in the wars of 1689 and 1693, chiefly claims the atten-
tion of the inquisitive traveller. In this magnificent pile,
built upon a steep rock, immediately over the town, both the
antiquary and the lover of the picturesque, will find ample
food to gratify their greatest appetite. Whether we consider
their situation, their magnitude, or the richness and excellency
of the workmanship displayed upon several portions of this
edifice, more especially the Hall of Knights, they may be safe-
ly pronounced the most striking and magnificent ruins, of this
sort, now in existence. In the cellars are several immense
tuns, once kept constantly filled with the choicest Rhenish
wines. Among these one has been long celebrated as the
great Tun of 'Heidelberg. It was begun in 1749, and not
finished till 1751. The length of it is 33 feet, and the height
24, and it can hold 236,000 bottles. it is said that the Elec-
tor Palatine, Charles Theodore, had it made as an emblem of
the singular fertility of the Palatinate in wine.
PONT DU GARD.—This is a part of a Roman aqueduct,
built over the river Gardon, a few miles from Nismes, to which
the aqueduct was intended to convey water. 1t is impossible
to gaze upon this magnificent and sublime structure with any
other feelings than those of admiration and of delight. It stands
in awful majesty and grandeur, in a secluded and romantie
spot, between two high and rocky hills, the craggy sides of
which are clothed with wild fig trees, olives, and a variety of
the most beautiful shrubs. A triple row of arches stretch with
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length-
of the bridge, at the top, is above 800 feet, but it diminishes
I gradually towards its, lower extremity. The blocks of stone
employed in the construction are of so enormous a siie, that it
seems to have required a power more than human to raise them
to the summit of this truly wonderful structure. Although
well known to be of Roman origin, the precise period when it
was erected is not known with any degree of certainty-
BEAUCAIRE.—This town is pleasantly situated on the
banks of the Rhone, immediately opposite the City of Tar-
rascon. On a steep rock, just above the town, the ruins of a
castle frown proudly upon the rapid strewn beneath, across
whici# is built a singular bridge of considerable length.
Beaucaire is, however, chiefly remarkable for its celebrated
fair, which is opened on the 22d and closes upon the 28th of
July. Although not now so much frequented as it was
formerly, this fair still presents a motley assemblage of
merchants from every country in Europe, and even natives of
Asia and of Africa are here seen mixed among the immense
crowd which not only fill the whole town, but even a vast
meadow whith adjoins it. This pi-airie is the principal scene
of the noise, bustle, and confusion of the traffic and meriment
which form the characteristic feature of this fair, with which
those held at Leirick and at Frankfort on the Mayne, c*.c
alone be compared.