Philosophers Walk - 5 Things to Know Before Visiting
Viewpoints
1 Day Treks
Forests
About Philosophers Walk
A walk through scenic nature, with a view of Heidelberg city. The name "Philosophers' Walk" can be traced to the fact that Heidelberg's university professors and philosophers found this path a place where they could talk seriously and contemplate while enjoying the charming view of the region.
Attractions Near Philosophers Walk
Kurpfälzisches Museum
0.47km from Philosophers Walk
Museum of art and archaeology. The Archaeology collection of the museum includes a facsimile of the lower jaw of Homo heidelbergensis discovered in Mauer- a village located between Heidelberg and Sinsheim.
Old Bridge Heidelberg
0.67km from Philosophers Walk
It connects the Old City with the eastern part of the Neuenheim district of the city on the opposite bank. The current bridge, made of Neckar sandstone and the ninth built on the site, was constructed in 1788 by Elector Charles Theodore and is one of the best-known landmarks in Heidelberg.
Altstadt Heidelberg
0.83km from Philosophers Walk
Heidelberg city’s historic heart- with cobblestone streets, centuries-old buildings, and bustling market squares overlooked by the hilltop Heidelberg Castle and gardens.
Heidelberg Castle
1.2km from Philosophers Walk
The castle ruins are among the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps. It is located 80 meters (260 ft) up the northern part of the Königstuhl hillside and thereby dominates the view of the Heidelberg oldtown.
Heiligenberg
1.24km from Philosophers Walk
Large wooded hill overlooking the town of Heidelberg. It has been the site of many historic and pre-historic constructions, including a Celtic hilltop fortification, a Roman sacred precinct, several medieval monasteries, modern lookout towers and the Heidelberg Thingstätte- an open air theatre built by the Nazis in the 1930s.
Heidelberg Zoo
2.67km from Philosophers Walk
Founded in 1933 and opened for the public on 20 November 1934, the zoo was totally destroyed during bombings in March 1945. Since 1972, the reformation began and slowly added more and more animal enclosures which includes an elephant house that was opened in 2010.
Discover More Attractions in Baden-Württemberg, Home of Philosophers Walk
Baden-Württemberg
52 attractions
Germany's third largest state. Most of the major cities of Baden-Württemberg straddle the banks of the Neckar River, which runs downstream (from southwest to the center, then northwest) through the state past Tübingen, Stuttgart, Heilbronn, Heidelberg, and Mannheim.
Where is Philosophers Walk
What Visitors Say About Philosophers Walk
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Nithin Mathew
2018-07-12
This forest walk received its name from the fact that Heidelberg's university professors and philosophers found this path a great place where they could talk serious matters and contemplate while enjoying charming views od the old city and the Neckar river. The view also inspired poets Eichendorff and Hoelderlin to write their poems. Among the attractions of this walk are the Eichendorff Stone, a sandstone stele with a bronze relief of the poet, and the Merian-Kanzel, a sandstone platform from where in 1620 Matthaeus Merian immortalized Heidelberg in an engraving. The Hoelderlin-Anlage, an area at the eastern end of the Philosophers' Way dedicated to the poet Hoelderlin, pays tribute to his ode to Heidelberg "Lang lieb ich dich schon..." ("Long have I loved you...").
This path offers beautiful views of the forest, its meadows, the city of Heidelberg and the Neckar river. We even spotted a deer while we were walking. The path is very popular in Heidelberg, we saw many school children and bikers enjoying their time here. The paths inside the forest are made in a way that there are many entry points and exit points. You can get into the walk from one part of the city, hike and then get out to another part once you have enough time in the nature :)