Grahampark, located next to Graham Castle in the center of Handschuhsheim, is perhaps one of the most beautiful public parks in Heidelberg. The castle was built as a prestigious mansion as part of the Knebelhof estate, which was established in 1609 by Dam Philipp Knebel. After his death, the property passed to the Landschaden von und zu Steinach family. After the family died out, Friedrich Landas acquired the estate. However, French soldiers burned it down, and after its reconstruction, the owners changed frequently until 1783, when the Rottmann family bought the estate. The Carl Rottmann Hall, which houses copies of famous paintings by the gifted landscape painter Carl Rottmann, still commemorates this period today. In 1836, the Brandenburg merchant Carl Adolph Uhde acquired the area up to the former hermitage. He had the simple farmhouses on the site demolished and enclosed the grounds with walls to create a park with exotic plants. In 1861, the estate, including the small castle and park, became the private property of the Englishman John Benjamin Graham. He not only gave the small castle and park their name, but was also responsible for making the park accessible to the public. After the Grahams emigrated to Scotland, ownership of the small castle and park passed to the city of Heidelberg in 1919. Today, the castle houses the Handschuhsheim district office, the municipal music and singing school, and, on the upper floor, the Winter University Press. I must admit that the castle, with its striking stair tower and onion dome from the 17th century, is well worth seeing. The tower and the stair tower at the rear are the only parts of the building from 1609 that were not destroyed by fire at that time. The adjacent park is a true oasis of relaxation and can be accessed via five entrances. In addition to exotic trees, it also has a large playground. During World War II, Grahampark served as a parking lot for American tanks. Today, the park with its idyllic paths and park benches is a local recreation area that offers a piece of nature in the middle of the city. Everyone can relax here, children can romp around on the playground, and dogs are also allowed. I like this small park with its old trees, where I can simply breathe deeply and enjoy pure nature. Because nature is the best guide in life.
