Heilbronn is a former imperial city, surrounded by vineyards and situated on the Castle Road. The Renaissance Town Hall has an outside staircase, clock, gable and astronomical clock. Other attractions include the 16th-century Käthchen House, the Gothic Kilian Church with its 62m- (203ft-) high tower (1513-29), and the Shipping Museum. The town is also a good base for excursions into the Neckar Valley.