Alte Universitaet
Alte Universitaet
4.5
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
6:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
About
Founded in 1368, this famous university is one of Germany's oldest and most prestigious.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
237 reviews
Excellent
108
Very good
100
Average
24
Poor
4
Terrible
1
Sue M
Williamsburg, VA1,534 contributions
May 2023 • Couples
As part of our Heidelberg walking tour we stopped in Heidelberg University's square where the lion statue is located. Most buildings for German universities are just spread out throughout the city. There are numerous school buildings throughout Heidelberg.
Written May 19, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
liucy752
Taipei, Taiwan1,639 contributions
Sept 2018 • Solo
The Old University, a Baroque building dating back to early 18 century, houses the University Museum and the famous Studentenkarzer (student prison).
The original entrance of the student prison is located in the back of the Old University building. Tourist should enter the prison from the University Museum.
The Great Hall is located on the 2nd floor (first floor of European system) of the library. It is a magnificent neo-Renaissance decorated hall with busts and portraits of the university’s founders, benefactors and important academics. On the ceiling are frescoes depicting the four faculties of the old university – theology, law, medicine and philosophy.
Joint ticket for the University Museum, the Student Prison and the Great Hall costs 3 Euro.
The original entrance of the student prison is located in the back of the Old University building. Tourist should enter the prison from the University Museum.
The Great Hall is located on the 2nd floor (first floor of European system) of the library. It is a magnificent neo-Renaissance decorated hall with busts and portraits of the university’s founders, benefactors and important academics. On the ceiling are frescoes depicting the four faculties of the old university – theology, law, medicine and philosophy.
Joint ticket for the University Museum, the Student Prison and the Great Hall costs 3 Euro.
Written March 8, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
myraevans1942
Toronto, Ontario324 contributions
Sept 2019
Visit the University in Heidelberg, one of the oldest in Germany, just to see this spectacular library.
Written October 9, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Katrien S
Ghent, Belgium1,944 contributions
Oct 2017 • Solo
In an old university building, there are a few rooms set aside for a small museum about the history of the university and a few of its famous professors and students. The displays are mainly text with some photographs, and the text is for nearly all panels only in German. Anyway, unless you are interested is someone specific, this is not the most interesting museum. On display are Kirkhoff´s spectrograph. Upstairs the aula of the university can be seen. This is well worth a look, as is the student prison, around the corner (but entrance is with the same ticket).
Written October 31, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
retireeVancouver
Vancouver, Canada1,828 contributions
May 2019 • Couples
The white Old University building is located at Grabenstrasse and Hauptstrasse on the square with the Lion Fountain. Originally on this spot an Augustine monastery was located, but when Heidelberg was razed in the war in the late 1600s, it was decided to build a new university there. The building is sometimes referred to as Domus Wilhelmina after Prince Elector Johan Wilhelm who had started building this university, two years before his death, in 1712.
On the square in front of the old university building is a Lion Fountain. The lion sculpture, created from red sandstone, represents the power/authority of the Palatine rulers who had a lion in their coat of arms. The fierce looking lion, with his tongue sticking out(I forgot the symbolism for the tongue), sits on a high pedestal placed in the fountain basin. Long spouts pour water that is easily reachable into the basin, as the fountain, in 1712, was the citizens' water supply. There was no seating or patio tables on this square to impede either university students visiting the administration offices inside the building, or tourists visiting the University Museum/Alte Aula..
The student jail can be accessed on Augustinergasse at the back of the old university building. Its entrance has a large sidewalk sign so its easily recognizable. There is a 3E combo admission fee to see the graffiti on the walls of the cells that unruly students had left after being held from 1 night to 2-4 weeks for bad pranks.
The University Museum and Alte Aula (a Great Hall) are included in this ticket. Both might be more worth a visit than the jail. An audioguide provides information about the paintings, documents, and photos about the university's history to present day.
The Alte Aula which is used for assemblies is one floor up where the ceiling frescoes show the 4 faculties of the university had at the time that the hall was built - law. medicine, science, and philosophy.
If visiting time is limited, I would skip these 3 interior attractions, and just focus on photographing the exteriors of the university buildings in this area.
On the square in front of the old university building is a Lion Fountain. The lion sculpture, created from red sandstone, represents the power/authority of the Palatine rulers who had a lion in their coat of arms. The fierce looking lion, with his tongue sticking out(I forgot the symbolism for the tongue), sits on a high pedestal placed in the fountain basin. Long spouts pour water that is easily reachable into the basin, as the fountain, in 1712, was the citizens' water supply. There was no seating or patio tables on this square to impede either university students visiting the administration offices inside the building, or tourists visiting the University Museum/Alte Aula..
The student jail can be accessed on Augustinergasse at the back of the old university building. Its entrance has a large sidewalk sign so its easily recognizable. There is a 3E combo admission fee to see the graffiti on the walls of the cells that unruly students had left after being held from 1 night to 2-4 weeks for bad pranks.
The University Museum and Alte Aula (a Great Hall) are included in this ticket. Both might be more worth a visit than the jail. An audioguide provides information about the paintings, documents, and photos about the university's history to present day.
The Alte Aula which is used for assemblies is one floor up where the ceiling frescoes show the 4 faculties of the university had at the time that the hall was built - law. medicine, science, and philosophy.
If visiting time is limited, I would skip these 3 interior attractions, and just focus on photographing the exteriors of the university buildings in this area.
Written June 25, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
pemquid
Portland, ME427 contributions
Oct 2014 • Couples
Visiting the oldest university in Germany was a highlight of our trip to Heidelberg for my husband. However, don't expect to see a lot of ancient buildings, as very few survive. Most of the current university was built about 1931, with American funds. The architecture is very traditional, so you wouldn't necessarily guess it's 20th century origins. It was, nonetheless, a very worthwhile visit. We even went into the library and wandered around in it for a bit--very impressive, and seemingly open to the public since we were able to just walk right in.
Written October 19, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
unescotravelbug
Wooster, OH4,708 contributions
May 2013 • Solo
Located at the Universitats Platz, the old university museum, Lecture Hall and Student Prison are the main attractions. City buses 31 and 32 serve between here and the Heidelberg Bahnhof. Heidelberg card for the visitors covers the free public trams and buses. The University established in 1386,is the oldest university in Germany, and its reputations of being one of the prestigious high ranking universities in the world, had graduated many Nobel laureates . The interior of the Lecture Hall is framed with wood panels and ceilings, frescoes, sculptures and paintings. The student prison is a site of unique legacy with student graffiti left on the walls during their jail time for violating university rules. The platz area is surrounded with cafes and shops and the town events.
Written June 30, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alfred V
Amsterdam, The Netherlands2,713 contributions
Sept 2020
The Heidelberg University is one of the oldest in Germany (est. 1385). Especially worthwhile are the Great Hall and the spectacular library next door.
Written September 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sunshine34500
West Orange, NJ2,196 contributions
May 2018 • Business
Very prestigious university, even to this day. People apply from around the globe, with the hopes of being accepting. Old medieval type structures, now in a modernist city. Truly International and eclectic.
Written June 24, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MaryannF650
Clarksville, TN1,450 contributions
Apr 2018 • Friends
My husband and I were visiting Heidelberg with a group of seniors while cruising on the Rhine River. This was one of our excursions after touring Heidelberg Castle. The university square is beautiful, very clean and very picturesque. Nearby students were very polite and friendly. We enjoyed our brief visit here. Lots of historic value.
Written May 12, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
是非とも見学に行きたいのですが、日本のガイドブックでは休館日が分かりません。いつでも見学に入れるのでしょうか。
Written August 17, 2019
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