A prospect of the city of Heidelberg on the banks of the River Neckar in Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. It is situated on the eastern side of the upper Rhine River just to the south of Frankfurt. It is arguably best known for its university founded in 1386, the oldest in Germany. This view is taken from the grounds of Heidelberg Castle. It has had a tumultuous history being firsts built before 1214. Its situation dominates the city and was expanded around 1294. In 1537, lightning destroyed the upper portion of the castle. Expanded again by the diddle of the seventeenth century, it was damaged again during several wars and by fire. Another lightning hit it again in 1764 since when although some restoration has taken place, it has largely remained a ruin. Matthaus Merian began publishing the ‘Theatrum Europaeum’ in 1633, it was not finished until 1738 by which time 21 volumes had been issued including some 20,000 pages of text, 720 maps, plans, views and other engravings and nearly 700 portraits.