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Heidelberg Bridge Monkey

The Heidelberg Bridge Monkey was a 15th-century stone statue placed in the tower of Heidelberg’s Old Bridge, opposite the Old Town. The tower was meant to inspire fear and respect in arriving visitors, while the monkey served as a symbol of mockery. It showed the Electoral Palatinate Greeting by touching its bare backside, with the gesture directed toward Mainz to signal defiance toward the Bishops there. The monkey also held a mirror, intended to encourage critical self-reflection. The original statue was destroyed вместе with the tower during the Nine Years’ War. A poem by Martin Zeiller from the 17th century is still displayed beside the modern version.

Heidelberg Bridge Monkey sculpture crouching on a stone ledge, holding a round disk with the river and wooded hill behind it.
The Heidelberg Bridge Monkey crouches on a stone ledge with the river and hillside in the background.
April 2011 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
A man poses inside the face opening of the Heidelberg Bridge Monkey sculpture, with a bronze monkey holding a disc on a brick wall behind him.
The Heidelberg Bridge Monkey sculpture on the Old Bridge in Heidelberg, shown with a visitor posing beside it.
June 2001 © · CC0
Person posing behind the Heidelberg Bridge Monkey sculpture with their face placed in the hollow head opening.
A visitor poses with the Heidelberg Bridge Monkey, placing their face into the sculpture’s hollow head opening.
2016 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Close-up of the Heidelberg Bridge Monkey sculpture showing its hollowed face and stylized lips against the sky.
A close-up of the Heidelberg Bridge Monkey sculpture, with its weathered bronze face visible against the sky.
July 2014 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Bronze plaque on the Heidelberg Bridge Monkey sculpture with engraved German text and two small bronze mice on a stone block.
A bronze plaque from the Heidelberg Bridge Monkey, shown with engraved text and two small bronze mice.
July 2010 © · CC BY-SA 3.0

Identification

TitleHeidelberg Bridge Monkey
German nameHeidelberger Brückenaffe
Typestatue

Historical context

Date15th century
First mention1481
Destruction date1689
Historical destructionDestroyed during the Palatinate War of Succession, together with the bridge tower

Creator

SculptorGernot Rumpf
Commissioned bythe association Alt-Heidelberg
Designed1977
Installed1979

Discovery and provenance

Original forma sculptural stone figure
Historical placementAlready seated in one of the bridge towers in the 15th century

Materials

Materialstone
Materialbronze

Physical characteristics

Subjecta monkey
Subjecta monkey with a hollow head
Species depictionoriginal version resembled a vervet monkey; the current version depicts a baboon
Headhollow
Gesturethe right hand shows the mano cornuta (horned hand) gesture
Mirrorholds a mirror out toward passersby

Appearance

Associated texta poem by Martin Zeiller, from the 17th century, is still beside the sculpture
Chest emblema coat of arms on the chest
Chest emblem compositiona combination of the Electoral Palatinate coat of arms, the Baden coat of arms, and the German flag
Chest inscriptionHEIDELBERG

Iconography and meaning

Former functionto evoke reverence and fear in arriving visitors
Symbolic meaningmockery and satire
Gesture meaningthe Palatinate greeting, addressed to the Bishops of Mainz to show that they held no power over the Electors of the Palatinate
Backside orientationfacing toward Kurmainz, especially toward the Mainz bishops
Mirror meaningintended to prompt critical self-reflection
Hand gesture meaningto ward off the evil eye

Location and ownership

Current versiontoday's version of the monkey
Associated cityHeidelberg
Associated bridgeOld Bridge
Current locationat the Old Bridge in Heidelberg, next to the tower on the Altstadt side
Original locationin a niche above the gate in the north tower of the Old Bridge over the Neckar in Heidelberg, on the side opposite Heidelberg's Old Town, at the present-day Neuenheimer Ufer

History and restoration

Reason for current locationthe north tower was not rebuilt after being blown up

Significance

Tourist statuspopular tourist attraction today
Associated objecta plush toy version of the Heidelberg Bridge Monkey
Availabilityavailable in several shops in Heidelberg's Old Town since May 2016
Sizesabout 15 cm and about 20 cm
Popularitya sought-after souvenir from Heidelberg, especially among children
Child-oriented designa friendlier version for children that touches its mouth instead of showing the rear-end gesture or the mano cornuta
Inscriptions and emblem on plush toythe word HEIDELBERG above a chest emblem combining the Electoral Palatinate coat of arms, the Baden coat of arms, and the German flag
Plush toy chest emblema coat of arms on the chest