A Meteoric Rise
A fifth division soccer team in 2000, the TSG 1899 Hoffenheim made an amazing advance to the top-flight Bundesliga in 2008. Its biggest financial backer is Dietmar Hopp, co-founder of SAP, the largest software company in Europe. Hopp had played in the club’s youth team and spent $100 million to build a new stadium for the club, the Rhein-Neckar-Arena.
Heidelberg Spared
During World War II, neighboring Heidelberg was almost completely spared by allied bombings which destroyed most of Germany’s larger inner cities. As a result, Heidelberg has retained its baroque charm of narrow streets and picturesque houses and is one of Germany’s most popular tourist destinations. More than 3 million visitors a year flock to the city, most of them either from the US or Japan.
Romantic Germany
One of the top attractions is Heidelberg Castle. It is situated 300 feet above the city and dominates the view of the old downtown. Its construction began around 1300 and lasted over 400 years. The castle has only been partially rebuilt after its destruction in the 18th century. Its ruins are now a world-famous landmark.
Prost!
In the castle you can find the world’s biggest wine barrel. It is more than 9 yards long and eight yards high. It has a capacity of 55,345 gallons of wine.
Student Life Forever
Heidelberg University was founded in 1386 and is Germany’s oldest university. Associated with 30 Nobel Prize laureates it is consistently ranked among Europe’s top universities. Heidelberg University served as a role model for the implementation of graduate schools at American universities.
H-Town
After the war, the United States Armed Forces built large barracks in Heidelberg. Therefore, the city’s 130,000 inhabitants include not only the 28,000 students of the university, but also nearly 30,000 American citizens, almost all soldiers and their families.
A Yankee Abroad
Mark Twain spent some time in Heidelberg to overcome a severe writer’s block. His boat trips on the Neckar river triggered his imagination of a raft voyage on the Mississippi, like that of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer.