The History
By the beginning of the 13th century already a small romanesque basillica stood on this spot, a chapel "To the Holy Spirit" This chapel burnt down probably at the beginning of the 14th century and a somewhat larger early gothic church was erected on the same spot. Ther a solemn mass was celebrated on 18 October 1386 to mark the founding of Heidelberg Univesity , which today is regarded as germany's oldest.
For this foundation by the Elector Ruperech I, Pope Urban VI in Rome, had given in a papal bull his permission and blessing. Also in the future the university continued to be closely associated with the church and its authorized doctrine.
Then 12 years later Ruprecht III (1398-1410) decided on an extension of the existing church building ; he had the chancel pulled down and today's appreciably more magnificent and larger on built. Consequently we regard 1398 as this church's year of foundation.
Ruprecht III became King of Germany in the 1400, and when he died in 1410 the chancel had just been completed.
