Zum Roten Ochsen

Heidelberg


Fronted by a red-painted, blue-grey-shuttered facade, Heidelberg’s most historic student pub has black-and-white frat photos on the dark wooden walls and names carved into the tables. Along with German luminaries, visitors who've raised a glass here include Mark Twain, John Wayne and Marilyn Monroe. Live piano plays from 7.30pm, with plenty of patrons singing along.

Traditional dishes focus on regional fare, such as deer ragout with cranberries, croquettes and red cabbage.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Heidelberg attractions

1. Marktplatz

0.14 MILES

The Marktplatz is the focal point of Altstadt street life.

2. Hercules Fountain

0.15 MILES

In the middle of the Marktplatz is the Hercules fountain; in medieval times petty criminals were chained to it and left to face the populace.

3. Deutsches Apotheken-Museum

0.17 MILES

The German Pharmacy Museum, off the Schlosshof at Schloss Heidelberg, illustrates the history of Western pharmacology, in which Germany played a central…

4. Heiliggeistkirche

0.18 MILES

For bird’s-eye views, climb the 208 stairs to the top of the tower of Heidelberg's famous church, constructed between 1398 and 1441. It was shared by…

5. Schloss Heidelberg

0.19 MILES

Towering over the Altstadt, Heidelberg’s ruined Renaissance castle cuts a romantic figure, especially across the Neckar River when illuminated at night…

6. Alte Brücke

0.2 MILES

Heidelberg's 200m-long ‘old bridge’, built in 1786, connects the Altstadt with the river’s right bank and the Schlangenweg (Snake Path), whose switchbacks…

7. Jesuitenkirche

0.29 MILES

Rising above an attractive square just east of Universitätsplatz, the red-sandstone Jesuits’ church, with an all-white interior, is a fine example of 18th…

8. Studentenkarzer

0.32 MILES

From 1823 to 1914, students convicted of misdeeds such as public inebriation, loud nocturnal singing, freeing the local pigs or duelling were sent to this…