Haus zum Riesen (House of the Giant), Heidelberg

Constructed in 1707 along Heidelberg's Main Street, this baroque palace earned its moniker, the "House of the Giant", from the towering statue of von Venningen on its second-floor central facade. Built using stone salvaged from the damaged "fat tower" of Heidelberg Castle, the three-storey-tall palace stood as the city's largest private residence.

In 1797, the palace transitioned into a guesthouse and brewery, serving patrons with hospitality and ale; however, by the mid-19th century, ownership passed to Heidelberg University, marking the beginning of its transformation into a hub of academic pursuit. Over the years, the palace housed various institutes, attracting esteemed scholars such as chemist Robert Bunsen, physicist Gustav Kirchhoff, and physiologist Hermann von Helmholtz, each contributing to groundbreaking research.

In the early 20th century, the palace evolved into the seat of the University's Institute of Geology and Palaeontology. Notably, Otto Schoetensack conducted pioneering research on fossil finds, including the momentous discovery of Mauer 1 in 1908. Dubbed "Homo heidelbergensis," these remains represented one of the oldest prehistoric human specimens unearthed in Europe, cementing the palace's legacy as a cradle of scientific exploration.