Heidelberger langes Wochenende - Teil 2

Another shot of the famous Heidelberg old bridge:
Next we were going to explore around Heidelberg while David took his College entrance tests at a US military base. I let Noah pick out the travel book and he did all the guiding around the city. First off was up to the Castle, the view from the castle was very beautiful:

The Heidelberg castle is a very well known ruin and it was not hit by any WWII bombing, however it was sacked a few times in the 1700 and 1800s. Inside the Castle walls:

The Heidelberg castle ruins is considered one of Germanys most famous ruined castles and was written about by Mark Twain in the "A Tramp Abroad" back in 1880 as he thought this was the perfect ruin:

Here is a quote from "A Tramp Abroad" as Twain describes the next picture, which is the ruined Powder Turret:

A ruin must be rightly situated, to be effective. This one could not have been
better placed. It stands upon a commanding elevation, it is buried in green
woods, there is no level ground about it, but, on the contrary, there are wooded
terraces upon terraces, and one looks down through shining leaves into profound
chasms and abysses where twilight reigns and the sun cannot intrude. Nature
knows how to garnish a ruin to get the best effect. One of these old towers is
split down the middle, and one half has tumbled aside. It tumbled in such a way
as to establish itself in a picturesque attitude. Then all it lacked was a
fitting drapery, and Nature has furnished that; she has robed the rugged mass in
flowers and verdure, and made it a charm to the eye. The standing half exposes
its arched and cavernous rooms to you, like open, toothless mouths; there, too,
the vines and flowers have done their work of grace. The rear portion of the
tower has not been neglected, either, but is clothed with a clinging garment of
polished ivy which hides the wounds and stains of time. Even the top is not left
bare, but is crowned with a flourishing group of trees & shrubs. Misfortune
has done for this old tower what it has done for the human character
sometimes−improved it.

From his description you can image that the ruin looks pretty much the same way as when Twain saw it in 1880:

Coat of Arms over the entrance to the castle from the hillside:

Another ruined turret:

The Upper Prince's Fountain build in the 1730's:

Lots of tadpoles and Newts in the pond:

One of the Newts: