The Heidelberg Castle grounds are one of my favorite spots to stroll. When I was just a young babe in a Kinderwagen, my mother posed for a now-iconic family photograph at the castle’s main overlook spot (Scheffelterrasse), with me in tow.
Twenty years after that shot was snapped, I moved from the United States — back to Germany — into a Heidelberg apartment that’s almost visible among the terracotta roofs in that original photograph.
Realizing my connection to this romantic spot, my husband proposed atop an elegant stone bench nearby several years ago.
Later, we were married in the castle’s chapel following a Doctor Zhivago-esque snowfall. My teeth still chatter thinking about it, but I’m warmed by the memories of that incredible night.
One needn’t have so many historical connections to this castle and grounds to realize how special the spot is. Indeed, others have lost their hearts there too.
Where in the World?
Have you been to Heidelberg? What spots did you find to be the most memorable there? Can you recommend other lovely locales in your part of the world that hold a special place for you?
Photography & text © Tricia A. Mitchell. All Rights Reserved.
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Published by Tricia A. Mitchell
Tricia A. Mitchell is a freelance writer and photographer. Born in Europe but raised in the United States, she has lived in Valletta, Malta; Heidelberg, Germany; and Split, Croatia. An avid globetrotter who has visited more than 65 countries, she has a penchant for off-season travel. Tricia has learned that travel’s greatest gift is not sightseeing, rather it is the interactions with people. Some of her most memorable experiences have been sharing a bottle of champagne with distant French cousins in Lorraine, learning how to milk goats in a sleepy Bulgarian village, and ringing in the Vietnamese New Year with a Hanoi family. She welcomes any opportunity to practice French and German, and she loves delving into a place’s history and artisanal food scene.
A former education administrator and training specialist, Tricia has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in international relations. She and her husband, Shawn, married in the ruins of a snowy German castle. They’ve been known to escape winter by basing themselves in coastal Croatia or Southeast Asia.
Her writing has appeared in Fodor’s Travel, Frommer’s, and International Living.
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A delightful and romantic account of your wedding. The photographs had me yodeling I haven’t been to Heidelberg but my husband has. He loved the photographs.
I could almost hear you yodeling from your corner of the world, Belocchio! :) You must convince your husband to take you to Heidelberg. I lived there for just over 10 years and never tired of it. Here are some more pictures for added incentive: https://triciaannemitchell.com/2011/06/26/whyiadoreheidelberg/
Very pleasing composition. Thanks for sharing Nonoy Manga
Nonoy – I’m thrilled you dropped in! (What an accomplished artist you are!) Thank you for your kind comment.
Lovely series!
I’m happy you enjoyed it, Sonali; thank you for dropping by again!
What a romantic location! There can’t be many people who have had their wedding in the chapel of Heidelberg Castle.
Rachael, I was actually surprised that a fair number of Asian visitors have destination weddings in the castle. Heidelberg is quite a popular city with Japanese tourists – certainly an exotic locale for a unique wedding.
Great photos and great memories I’m sure.
Many thanks, Mark! Of the many places you’ve been, is there one that stands out as the most memorable?
Hi Tricia, mmm thats a tough one, Auckland NZ where I met my wife, and for work Greenland, (see my post for today)
New Zealand is a spot I hope we make it to soon as I heard it is utterly gorgeous. While in Indonesia, we thought about taking a quick jaunt there, but concluded that NZ and Australia both deserve unique future billing. And what a lovely shot of the iceberg in Greenland, Mark! Thank you for sharing.
You are welcome.
It’s been almost thirty years since I was in Heidelberg (and I was nine years old at the time) but I remember so many details of that castle! And the river-boat trip we took–I think I snapped three rolls of film with my little Kodak Instamatic… :)
What a fun image you’ve just painted in my mind, Kana… I haven’t spent as much time cruising the Neckar River (you must have photo-documented all the castles upriver?) as I have strolling the castle grounds. The ruins are such a fun place for a child to explore! I bet you remember the Powder Tower’s (exploded) skeleton there?
Thank you for dropping by – I’ve been enjoying perusing your site for pointers on blogging, as well as for your observations of life. Have a super weekend!
OH yes! The powder tower is an unforgettable detail… What’s very entertaining (in looking back) is to look at the photo albums that my sister (then age six) and I put together after our six-month sojourn through Europe. We each had our own camera, and our goofy photographic choices provide VERY different perspectives from our parents’ slide show of the trip! ;)
How lucky that you were able to travel for six months as a child! It sounds as though your photo albums might have similarities with the diaries I kept as a 9 year-old traveling through Germany and Austria. Was I impressed by architecture and history and new landscapes? Not so much! Instead, I went into great depth describing the food (whipped cream & hot chocolate) and the snippet of Mozart’s hair I saw at his birthplace in Salzburg. I was excited that the lock of golden brown hair was the same color as mine. What great travel souvenirs our albums and diaries are!
This is a beautiful place thank you for sharing this part of your life with us. I have never been to Germany but would love to visit some day. I would love to visit Heidelberg Castle.
Also, I am fairly new to WordPress and would like to invite you to read my blog. I would love to hear your comments.
Legalempress2, thanks for your comment and for stopping by. I hope you’ll someday soon get the opportunity to visit Germany. I spent just over 10 years living there, and had to pinch myself everyday knowing that the beautiful castle was just up on the hillside. :) I tried to make regular morning walks through the gardens, knowing that I wouldn’t always live in a city with a castle.
Also, thanks for the invite to peek at your blog – I’ll certainly do so, and am hopping over there now.
Thanks for your inspiration for today’s post at MY place… ;)
http://kanatyler.com/2012/05/12/a-pilgrimage-of-perspective/
Kana – what an honor! Such is the joy of blogging – sharing & inspiring.
I truly love Pilgrimage of Perspective, and I’m headed back to explore it again. The Heidelberg Castle scrapbook page image you included from your youth is so fun. Makes me want to access my diaries in storage on the other side of the Atlantic. Thanks for inspiring me to revisit those too. :)
Hope you’re having a wonderful weekend – sunny skies in Germany today. Wish you the same!
Lovely lovely lovely! So many wonderful memories tied to this spot. Thank you for sharing!
Happy Sunday & many thanks, Marina! Yes, so many memories there – I love the serendipity of it all. Makes me wonder what future spots may hold such significance. :)
It looks beautiful there! Thanks for visiting my blog. Happy travels!
I’m enjoying your pieces on France, alors je te remercie! It’s long been my dream to live and work there, so it’s great to find inspiration. :)
What a beautiful place….and a beautiful occasion. I’ve been perusing your blog and your photos capture the adventure and splendor of your travels. I look forward to following your posts. Thanks for following mine. Happy shooting! — Rob