Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-06-27
OUR F0REIGNLETTER.
x,rnsrp RUSSELL IN HEIDRLBSBo,
STUTTGART, COLOGNE. AND WORMS.
Tho heidelberg castle-s Most Satisfactory
Run-several ca,hearals Described
Historic Incidsnts- Paintings.
,s,,c,., co<rcspcnaencs otibe Dispatch

,s..c,., Correspondents ottbe iispatch.l
COLOGNE, May 1896.
Stuttgart is iol q gay place, but we
mspse.d 70 make our stay there pleas
an, N one way OF another. The theatre
was A great resource and not sn extravs-
can, amusement, for the highest prices
even on fsfe days only mounted up to
40. and on some occasions was but 81.
The King and Queen spend their winter
AT Nice on account Of its warm climate,
but their absence did not prevent the
Kings birthday being celebrated in due
form. A special opera vas given, at
which all the court were present and
on overwhelming number Of military
officers, so that il was a brilliant sight.
Every ono arrived in good time,
and before the curtain was drawn up
the director Of the Theatre appeared
and called out =" Long live the King :"
The audience rose en- mGsse and gave
three cheers. The national anthem was
then played and the performance Of the
evening began. One night we were en-
tertained by some Americans IN the
next box TO us discussing between the
acts q recent sermon Of celebrated
New York preacher, the heads Of which
discourse they had received through
the post. We thought it was truly
being instant in season and out OF sea.
SOD. We found another amusement in
attending various art lectures given at
different institutions in the town for
Stuttgart is nothing il not educational.
The Polytechnic, said to be one Of the
best in Germany, has a large number
Of students. and many Of the classes
are open TO ladies at moderate price.
The spring sets in early at Stuttgart,
and by tho end Of March it was we'll
under way. Wewere nearly overcome
with the sudden heat on our short
journey from Stuttgart to Heidelburg,
and found it more like midsummer
than the LIST OF April. On arriving we
rushed off at once to see the celebrated
castle.
sATIsFAC GLORY RUIN.
1t is a satisfactory sort of ruin, as
one might say, in many respects, and
there is enough OF it left to give really
clear idea to the most unlmaginative
mind of its past magni6cence as pal
ace, as well as its strength as a fortress.
1t is one Of the places that greatly sur
pass ones expectations, and its history
must be mine Of romance and poetry
for those who have time to explore 1t
thoroughly. We had always under
stood that the castle was on hill, but
the exact kind Of hill was never ade-
quately represented to us. 1t lis almost
perpendicular. The part on which the
castle stands, 100 metres above the
Neckar, is called the Jettenbnhl, and
is a iutting-ont rock Of the Konigstuhl.
The walking.up path is very steep, and
as the inquirer is told the castle is quite
close to the hotel, as indeed he can
see for himself he starts up the ascent
vigorously, but has to take breath long
before be has sighted the top. This
steep ascent is made up the side on
which the Notifications were, SO that
there is nothing especially to be seen
until the first terrace is reached, when
the beauty of tho scenery comes in.
Passing in and out under archways aud
past walls OF medieval thickness, we
arrive at the main court, around which
the principal buildings stand, and at
once comprehend the Germans pride
in the remnants of the greatest renais-
sance palace in their country. Very
enthusiastic Germans declare it to be
the greatest renaissance building north
of the Alps at any rate it must have
been q grand palace at its best.
THE SEVERAL BUILDINGS.
The several buildings forming the
castle are of different periods Of archi-
lecture, ranging from 1906, 1920, and
were erected according TO the needs Of
the reigning elector, Joined to the pos
session ofadequate funds. These separ-
ate wings thus built at periods spread
ing over 800 years form an irregular
palace, but nothing in them jars the
harmony uniting the early simple yet
grand and massive Gothic style
with the elegance Of the high renais-
sance and the deliberately decora.
ted rocco. There are links that bind
this castle to very early dates, for be-
tween l50S-l544 the elector, Louis v,
raised a plain Gothic erection over a
spring, and brought the pillars to sup
port it from Ingelheim, palace built
by Charlemsgue at the end Of the
eighth century. The three electors who
followed Louis put up the finest parts,
to which their names cling. The facade
of the long, three-storied Otto lienry's
building has still many Of its statues
and decorations as well as its entr ance
doorway, borne by Caryatides, to
which double flight Of steps leads up.
The four-storied Frederick's building
stands at a sharp angle with the last,
and though not so strictly beautiful
to eOnnOisseurs, is yet q rival to it,
whose claims to admiration are little
less. There are sixteen fine statues on
it, most Of them. of Electors Palatine. |
uc ieot III PVisahe tois ouNoa was WV |
the English or Elizabeth wing, so named
by Frederick Y. in honor of his wife,
q Princess Of England, for whom he
built it. This is reached by passing
through a gateway under the huge
"Thick Tower" one Of the original
watch. towers, and though it cannot
compare in grandeur of architecture
with the two last buildings it still has
many attractions-on one is the elegance
of the interior decorations, pieces Of
which still remain and another is the
fine view from il over the Notifications
and across the river Beckar and the
country beyond.
GARDENS AND GROUNDS.
Frederick V. paid great attention
to the gardens and grounds around the
castle, and planted many rare trees in
them. At present they are laid out
in terraced and slopipg walks, open at
all times to the public, and are usually
much-sppreciated resort. Leaving
the castle court, the road leads past the
" Sprung Tower so named from its