University Reopening of Haus Buhl: “An Extraordinary and Quite Wonderful Gift”

15 June 2026

The origins of the heritage building complex in the heart of the Heidelberg Old City reach back into the first decades of the 18th century. It is named after legal scholar Heinrich Buhl (1848 to 1907), who taught as a full professor at Ruperto Carola and left the building to the university in his will. It accommodated institutes temporarily, was a meeting place for international students and a residence for visitors from all over the world. The premises were used for concerts, theatrical performances and receptions, and Heidelberg cultural history was written, among other things, with the student club “Tangente” and the Jazz Club in the vaulted cellar. Marsilius Kolleg, founded in the context of the Excellence Initiative, was accommodated in Haus Buhl from 2008 until it moved to the Im Neuenheimer Feld Campus in 2016. 

“Expression of your great trust in the future of our university”

The university had finally asked itself, “How will we deal with this legacy and what future do we want to give it?” said the Rector. Being able to maintain and newly position this building for the future was not a matter of course and Gerda Tschira had made it possible. “As our Honorary Senator you have engaged with it in an extraordinary, exemplary manner on behalf of Heidelberg University. Your commitment is a sign of profound bonds with this university, of firm faith in its academic and societal mission and an expression of your great trust in the future of our university,” Prof. Melchior underlined in her welcoming address at the festive event marking the reopening of Haus Buhl. 

The renovated and reconstructed building now contains, in the main section, a conference and meeting room with modern audiovisual technology and capacity for up to 180 attendees. The heart of Haus Buhl, however, remains the bel étage on the second floor. Here is located the ceremonial Hall of Mirrors, which will serve as a place to meet and socialize, and is surrounded by three smaller meeting rooms. The vaulted cellar is to be used mainly for cultural events and different dialogue formats between academia and the general public. Gerda Tschira provided the funds needed for the restoration from her non-profit ODWIN gGmbH to the “Unterländer Studienfonds bei der Universität Heidelberg”, the foundation that owns Haus Buhl. As per its statutes, the foundation supports the university in fulfilling its tasks and will make the building available to it rent-free.

“We celebrate the people to whom we owe this revival of Haus Buhl”

“We are celebrating the saving and renewal of a unique venue of our university. Above all, however, we celebrate the people to whom we owe this revival, who have believed in this project for many years and worked for it, who did not understand difficulties as a reason to give up but as a challenge to continue,” Prof. Melchior emphasized in her address. She thanked her predecessor in the office of Rector, Prof. Dr Bernhard Eitel, who pushed the idea of renewing Haus Buhl and had been able to win Gerda Tschira’s support for this idea. Profound thanks, she added, also went to Jochen Ridinger, head of the Division of Foundations and Assets, and representing the Unterländer study fund. “You developed and accompanied this project through good and through difficult times” and, the Rector noted, “never lost faith in its success.” 

Prof. Melchior likewise expressed her appreciation to architect Harald Schwarz and his team. The Rector: “You have preserved historic substance and adapted it to modern requirements without losing the character of the building. And you have ensured, with great love of detail, that we can perceive the transitions between old and new as a harmonious whole. That has given rise to a wonderful complete work.” With the aid of a photo collage the architect impressively demonstrated the difficulties involved in renovating and modernizing Haus Buhl. For his office, he said, it had been “one of the most demanding restoration projects to date” – not only hampered by the restrictions of the covid pandemic but, in particular, through coming across pollutants, which prolonged the project by a year.

Strengthening democracy, societal resilience and academic freedom

The “Heidelberg Forum Democracy, Science and Society”, newly established by the university Rectorate, will also be based in Haus Buhl. This will, at the same time, give the conference and event venue a new thematic focus. The forum is to become a place shining a light on existing and future activities of the university to reinforce democracy, democratic resilience and academic freedom. For the events of the forum, particularly also with actors from all areas of public life, Haus Buhl offers the best preconditions for creating space for discourse and encounter, and having both an internal and external impact. Responsible for this as managing director is Marietta Fuhrmann-Koch. An academic advisory board appointed by the Rectorate will begin its work by the time the Forum is officially opened.

The festive event to reopen Haus Buhl took place on 12 June 2026.