Karlstor

The Karlstor is a triumphal-arch city gate at the eastern end of Heidelberg's Old Town, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, where Hauptstraße meets the approach to the Neckar valley and the Karlsplatz. It was built between 1775 and 1781 for Elector Karl Theodor and designed by the court architect Nicolas de Pigage, replacing an older medieval gate. The design is Late Baroque turning to Neoclassical, with a single large arch flanked by columns and crowned with sculptural decoration and the arms of the elector. Karl Theodor ruled the Palatinate from 1743 and later also Bavaria from 1777, and the gate commemorates his reign at the entrance to his former residence city. In practice the gate was meant as an entrance for a ruler to the capital, not a defensive work, since by the late 18th century the old fortifications had lost their purpose. A short walk beyond lie the old town walls and the former tower complex. The sandstone gate has been repaired on several occasions, including restoration work after weathering and war-related wear, but its overall form is original. It stands beside the Neckar embankment and the Karlsplatz, and the pedestrian zone of Hauptstraße begins here, running westward through the Old Town for about 1.6 kilometres. Visitors use the gate as a reference point on walking routes that lead from the Old Town to the castle via the Kornmarkt, or to the Neckar promenade. Because the monument is part of a public street, it can be seen at any time of day without a ticket, and early morning or evening offers quieter photographs without traffic.