Heilbronn is a major commercial and cultural center. It was made an imperial city by Emperor Karl IV in 1371; however, documents show that a Villa Heilbrunna existed here in A.D. 741. The town owes its name to a holy spring that bubbled up from beneath the high altar at St. Killian's Church, the city's most important monument. The old city was largely destroyed in World War II, but the church has been rebuilt in its original Gothic and High Renaissance style. The church's 64m (210-ft.) tower is the earliest example of Renaissance architecture in Germany. Inside are excellent original woodcarvings, preserved during the war, including an elaborate choir and an altar.
Opposite the church is the reconstructed Rathaus, a combination of Gothic and Renaissance architecture. On its balcony is an astronomical clock dating to 1580. It was designed by the best-known horologist of the time, Isaak Habrecht, who created the famous clock inside the cathedral at Strasbourg, France.
Some 4,000 hectares (9,800 acres) of wooded parkland surround the city, accessible by footpaths and nature trails.
