This castle is not Versailles

The actual palace dates back to the 18th century. Elector Charles III Philip decided in 1720 to make Mannheim the new capital and to build a new palace as his residence on the site of the old Friedrichsburg fortress.
With an area of 6 hectares, the palace is one of the largest palaces in Europe and the second largest in the Baroque style, after Versailles. For reasons of prestige, the architects made sure that Mannheim Palace has one more window than Versailles.

Were we surprised by Neuf-Brisach with its straight street pattern, the layout of the city center of Mannheim is also according to a checkerboard pattern, in which the blocks of houses are numbered according to a certain system. Street names are almost non-existent in the city center. 
Mannheim, like Neuf-Brisach, was a fortress.

It has been an educational bike ride through Germany so far. We knew nothing about how important the Rhine must have been to build fortified cities along it. The polders and long dikes, through which we cycle endlessly, also amaze us. The Rhine seems to be nowhere. And then suddenly we take a ferry to the other side. Also a historic ferry across the Neckar, by the way.