One of the most picturesque spots in Stuttgart is the
Schillerplatz. The plaza is supposedly the location of the 10th century stud farm that gave Stuttgart its name. The plaza has a definite medieval feel about it. We came to it from the
Stiftskirche which we had just visited.
In the middle of the plaza is a statue of
Friedrich Schiller (18th century poet, philosopher, historian, playwright, friend of
Goethe) by Danish sculptor Bertel Thorwaldsen. The statue was erected in 1839 and is now a fun spot for kids to climb.
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| Friedrich Schiller statue |
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| L poses |
The Old Chancellery (built in the 1540s) now has a restaurant downstairs and another statue just outside the plaza.
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| Old Chancellery, with outdoor seating for its restaurant! |
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| Other side of the Chancellery |
On the east side of the plaza is the old castle or
Altes Schloss. The Wurttemberg's castle burned down in 1311 and the family moved to Stuttgart. By 1325, they expanded this small castle into a larger residence. The real overhaul came in 1553-1578, with a Renaissance remodeling, including the square courtyard and the first chapel built specifically for the Protestants.
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| Schloss courtyard |
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| Courtyard statue |
The castle is now home to the
Wurttembergisches Landesmuseum, which has a lot of folk art from past centuries. At the top is a new exhibit aimed at children. We bought our tickets downstairs. I went to the elevator but J asked to take the stairs. I'm glad we did, because the staircase was a wide, tall, covered passage that seemed large enough for a horse and rider to go up and down. The walls had some interesting art.
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| Taking the stairs |
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| Some people going down |
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| A family crest, probably the Wurttembergers |
We did see one or two things in the museum on our way to the
Junges Schloss exhibit, including this toy duck.
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| Toy Duck on display |
Next post, we will see the children's museum.
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