The Friedrich’s Wing is one of the most interesting residential castles at Heidelberg Castle. It entices visitors with a lavishly decorated facade and castle chapel. The Great Terrace offers a fantastic view of Heidelberg's historic district.
The courtyard facade of the Friedrich’s Wing.
Upon entering the castle courtyard, the majestic Friedrich’s Wing immediately catches visitors' eye. Prince-Elector Friedrich IV had the stately residential palace built by his architect, Johannes Schoch, between 1601 and 1607, on the pedestal of a previous medieval structure. The electoral family lived on the two top floors. The attic floor was reserved for the servants. In 1693, the Friedrich’s Wing was significantly damaged; it burned out in 1764.
Prince-Elector Friedrich IV.
The structure's builder, Friedrich IV, who ruled between 1583 and 1610, also let the stones of the facade "speak," much like those on the Ottheinrich’s Wing. An idealized gallery of ancestors from the electoral family were used to demonstrate his claim to power. Thus, visitors can also see a depiction of Friedrich IV, as the final representative of his illustrious ancestral line, reaching back to Charlemagne.
Charles de Graimberg had established a small makeshift museum in the Friedrich’s Wing in 1850. The Baden government commissioned architect Carl Schäfer (1844–1908) with restoring the former state rooms in 1893. The building was outfitted with a new transverse gable roof. Regional artists created the lavishly ornamented wooden ceilings, door trim and floors based on the Renaissance style. Today, castle tours explore these renovated rooms.
Grandly decorated rooms in the Friedrich’s Wing.
View of the altar in the castle chapel.
Heidelberg has had a castle chapel since the High Middle Ages. The castle chapel on the ground floor of the Friedrich’s Wing was reconstructed by Friedrich V, along with the rest of the building. The previous structure recorded on this site was torn down. The ornate boxes and the altar are from the 18th century. The palace chapel can be viewed as part of palace tours and is a favorite for weddings.
Say "I do" in Heidelberg Castle's chapel. Information on rental spaces is available from palace administration.
