Heidelberg Citadel, or Schloss, is a labyrinth of fascinating rooms and engaging legends. Actuality and fable come collectively while you see the Tun – a mammoth wine barrel, and also you study in regards to the dwarf – the barrel’s legendary protector.
Heidelberg Schloss rests on a mount above town alongside the Necker River in Germany. A part of it lies in ruins, blown-up by the French in 1689 in the course of the 9 Years Warfare. Many legends arose from the ruins together with ghosts and witches A favourite is in regards to the Tun and Perkeo the Dwarf.
Throughout the citadel is a huge wine barrel that holds 220,000 liters, or 58,100 gallons. It’s known as the Heidelberg Tun. Germans name it the Großes Fass. In-built 1751, it consumed 130 oak bushes.
The Tun is talked about in literature by the next well-known authors:
- Jules Vernes, 5 Weeks in A Balloon
- Mark Twain, A Tram Overseas
- Victor Hugo, Les Miserables
- Washington Irving, The Specter Bridegroom
As a month-to-month customer to Heidelberg, I heard in regards to the Tun, however just like the Alps or the Grand Canyon, it’s essential to see it in particular person to understand the size. Why did somebody want a barrel of that dimension? Apparrently, the citadel was typically underneath siege. The Tun supplied sufficient wine for a protracted protection. Earlier than the tramway was constructed, some casualties doubtless occurred when troopers rolled particular person barrels up the steep slope to the the citadel.
As you admire the Tun, you’ll hear about Perkeo the Dwarf. Perkeo was the jester underneath the native ruler, Elector Karl Phillip. Amongst his duties was defending the Tun. The dwarf was a tough drinker who guarded and sampled a limitless quantity of wine. He by no means turned city a drink. Perkeo is Italian for’why not?’ – the reply somebody obtained when providing him a cup. Consuming solely wine, the dwarf lived a protracted life. Poor Perkeo substituted wine with only one glass of water and died the following day.