#WorldWaterDay

The way to this spot

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Upper Prince’s Fountain

A good water supply was essential for life in the castle, the residence of the powerful Electors of the Palatinate. In Heidelberg, the builders found numerous springs despite the castle’s elevation. The springs on the slope of the Königstuhl were the main component of the water supply for Heidelberg Castle. Water-bearing layers of red layered and red sandstone meet here with water-impermeable granite. This geological situation causes the water to leak from the slope.Various springs below the later palace garden fed a water pipe on the upper floor of the directly adjacent southern moat barrier. This „water casemate“, built at the end of the 16th century, continued under the Kraut Tower towards the castle fountains.

Water was not only used by the people, but also for the many horses in the castle. East of the library building there was a small fountain from the middle of the 16th century, which was used for this purpose. As this was destroyed in 1689 during the Palatinate War of Succession, a new well was built next to the Ruprecht building in 1875. The late Gothic fountain from around 1520 in front of the Ludwigsbau is a special eye-catcher in the castle courtyard.

Task: Water delivery

Outside the courtyard there are other fountains on the palace grounds: the Upper and Lower Prince’s Fountain – two important drinking water wells. You can see one of these princely wells here. These were still in use after the departure of the court in 1720. There was an urgent need for drinking water for the new residence in Mannheim. Every day the elector had the clean spring water delivered by mules the 20 kilometers to Mannheim!

How many minutes did it take such a mule to get to the farm in Mannheim, assuming that a mule at full gallop can reach 60 km/h? However, due to the load it had to carry, it could only use one sixth of its speed to transport the water. Which solution is correct?

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