Visitor center at Heidelberg Castle

Heidelberg Castle ranks as one of the most important Renaissance buildings north of the Alps. Receiving more than one million visitors a year, it is also one of Germany's top tourist destinations. The new visitor centre blends in a reserved manner into the ensemble by picking up on the historical architectural elements that exist on site and reinterpreting these. This building shows how the contemporary architecture of Max Dudler is rooted in history. At the same time, its abstract form underscores both the grandeur and actuality of this German cultural monument. The new building is situated outside the old defensive ring wall, at the entrance gate to the castle and garden. With its building lines following those of its neighbours, the sculpturally designed visitor centre completes the small ensemble of buildings in the forecourt area.

The window embrasures are set back more than two meters into its walls, echoing the large-sized apertures that can be seen in the neighbouring saddle store. Inside, the broad expanse of the exterior walls hide a number of small side rooms and a stairwell. Like pockets, these interior recesses offer space for display cabinets, shelves and seating areas, while the centre of the narrow building remains open. Ensuring a smooth flow of large numbers of visitors was a particular challenge posed by the architectural brief. Our design solves this with its 'architectural promenade' through the building: visitors proceed from the entry hall through to the educational room, then up onto the roof terrace with its elevated views of the castle before exiting via the exterior stairs at the rear of the building to begin a tour of the castle proper. This way, the full potential of the small building is realized, ensuring it has both multi-purpose usage and allows the maximum throughput of visitors.