Discover the Old Town

Stadttor (Town Gate)

Neckargemünd’s town gate is a classical one; it shows amphorae and the city emblem. The city’s inhabitants built it in honour of Charles Theodore, who was Prince-Elector at that time. Mr Dyckerhoff was the town gate’s architect.
The Latin epigraph says: “Not only was this gate built for the safety of the city, but also in the honour of Prince-Elector Charles Theodore; holy to the citizens of the Palatinate as well as to foreigners, it will exist for a long time.”
According to the epigraph, the gate was completed in 1788.

Villa Menzer (Menzer Villa Dilsberger Straße 2

This villa was built in 1892 and can be seen as an example for Neo-Renaissance architecture. Its architect was Leonhard Schäfer.

Julius Menzer (1846-1917), known as wine wholesaler, Greek consul and “Reichstag” delegate, lived here.

Catholic Church St. John Nepomuk

The three-aisled church St. John Nepomuk was built in 1894/96 and can be seen as an example of the Romanesque Revival, a style of building in the late 19th century, which was very popular in Baden at that time.

Evangelical Church Hauptstraße

Originally, the church was named “St. Ulrich’s Church”. It was consecrated to the patron saint of fishermen and sailors. From 1720 to 1728, the single-nave late Gothic edifice was restored and extended. What is very remarkable is that there is still a well-preserved memorial plate on the outer wall next to the entrance. It dates back to 1640 and reminds of Anna Eleonore Gluck, wife of mayor Gluck.

Former Lutheran Church / Former Town Hall Hauptstrasse 25

Dating back to 1770/71, the Lutheran Church was built in the classical period. When in 1821 the Lutheran Church and the Reformed Church merged and became the Evangelical Protestant Church of Baden, the Lutheran church building was sold to the city, and then converted into a town hall building. It was used as Neckargemünd’s town hall until 1984. Today, it is home to the museum and the public library.

Market Place

Once, the town hall was located on the lower part of the market place. From 1707 to the end of the 19th century, this building was used as a Catholic church

„Prinz Carl“ (”Prince Carl“) Hauptstraße 56

Neckargemünd was home to a great number of restaurants with an own brewery, and “Prinz Carl” was one of them. Its original name was „Zum Dolken“. The craft seal above the side entrance indicates that it was used as a tannery in later times.

Former "Griechische Weinstube Zur Stadt Athen“ (Greek Tavern “City of Athens”) Neckarstraße 38

This is an ancient building dating back to the 17th or 18th century. It was built as a two-storey house, but in 1886/90, it was enlarged. Here, Julius Menzer set up a Greek tavern. Far and wide, it was the first one of its kind. The “Griechische Weinstube” is one of the oldest favourite haunts of students in the Heidelberg area.

Former Guest House “Lamb“ Neckarstraße 36

This ancient house was built in 1507 and is richly decorated with finely carved timbers and chimeras.

Schilderhäuschen (Schilder Cottage) Am Hanfmarkt 4

This two-storey residential house was put up in 1569. It is a half-timbered Franconian style building which is named after Ms. Schilder, a former owner

Kleppergasse (Klepper Alley)

If you are on the market place, walk through the Pfarrgasse alley or the Jakobsgasse alley and you will reach the Kleppergasse. Its name probably stands for “narrow street”. In the 18th century, fortifications became less important, and so did the Neckargemünd town gate and town wall. So, on the back side, narrow half-timbered houses were built directly onto the wall and the Kleppergasse was born.

Reichenstein castle

The Reichenstein castle was built in 12th century at the northern end of the" Hollmuth" hill. In the 14th century it was acquired by the Palatinate but only one century later it was abandoned. On a 17th century engraving by Merian the castle is depicted as a ruin. Today, only some wall fragments are left. The castle complex has an almost rectangular grouned plan; it is seperated from the hill by a so-called "Halsgraben", a moat. The terracing was done at the beginning of the 20th century.

The Citadel of Dilsberg

Roman finds in the area of Dilsberg, and a Roman settlement in the area of neighbouring Wiesenbach, give reason to believe that the land Dilsberg is now on was already used for settlement by the Roman occupation troops. More detailed knowledge of Dilsberg, however, does not appear until it was assessed for building castles in the early Middle Ages, where its conical shape and extensive view over the Neckar Valley and towards Kraichgau made it an obvious choice.

Construction of the castle, following on after the neighbouring Wiesenbacher castle, once the importance of the Neckar as a traffic route had been recognised. The diocese of Worms as legal successor to the monastery Lorch subordinated the Elsenzgau and also the Dilsberg to temporal governors from the aristocracy. Thus Dilsberg was under the control of the Lord of Lauffen (Imperial Palatinate residence above Heilbronn/Neckar).
1803 First documented mention of „Dillighesberch“ as residence of Count Boppo V. von Lauffen
A short time later through their line of succession Dilsberg became counts seat of the Same but „Dürn“ (Walldürn).
1803 Rudolf von Habsburg buys the mountain fortress from the impoverished Count Boppo II. Von Dürn, Count of Dilsberg.
After 1300 Dilsberg finally becomes the property of the Elector Palatinate after many years efforts by the increasingly powerful Elector.
1803 Dilsberg is elevated to the status of a town after the residents of Weiler Rainbach (on the Neckar) and Reitenberg (today to the west of the Dilsbergerhof) were forced to give up their homes. Equipped with tax privileges, they relocate on to the Dilsberg which was given a town wall and extended the fortified castle by their houses which they had to open up for the Heidelberg Court if necessary as a place to live while in hiding or when hunting.
In the 14th century Dilsberg receives a civil administration (official wine cellars) and a sub office of the Elector Palatinate as an administrative authority for the surrounding villages (1401 until 1803). Due to its importance for the Administration of the Elector Palatinate in the region of the Lower Neckar and in the Kraichgau, the castle of Dilsberg is extended by Commercial buildings.
In the 17th century Castle Dilsberg is among the most embattled fortifications during the 30-Year War. The Bavarian General Tilly occupies the castle in 1622 after Dilsberg had opened its doors after Heidelberg had been taken over by the Imperial troops and was forced to capitulate. The Swedes won back the castle in 1633, the Imperialists took Dilsberg again in 1653. Despite these fierce entanglements the Dilsberg castle settlement remained largely undamaged just as it did in the war of the Orleans Succession (1690) when the destroyer of the Palatinate, the French General Mélac housed within the town walls of Dilsberg with troops
After 1700 Dilsberg becomes a garrison of the Elector Palatinate in which only pensioned soldiers carry out light guard duties. The commanders house becomes the seat of the commander of the fortification as commander-in-chief of the castle and military administration.
1757-1767 installation of a detention room for the students in Heidelberg.
1803 with the end of the Elector Palatinate, the mountain fortification falls to the newly founded Land of Baden and subsequently serves as a state prison.
After 1822 The castle which had remained undamaged thus far was released for demolition. With its loss of military importance and the sub-office (1804) Dilsberg becomes increasingly impoverished in the 19th century.
As of 1900 Development of the earlier mountain fortress via a rural community to become a modern residential community and tourist attraction.
1.1.1973 Dilsberg is incorporated into Neckargemünd as a part of the town.