Castle Solitude

Schloss Solitude ( fr. solitude, loneliness ') was built in 1763-1769 by Johann Friedrich Weyhing and Philippe de La Guêpière as a hunting and representation castle of Duke Carl Eugen of Württemberg.

In 1858, the Solitude part of the community Gerlingen (Württemberg ) was. It was only on April 1, 1942, the Solitude was incorporated into the city of Stuttgart. Since 1956, the territory of Solitude to the Stuttgart city district of Stuttgart - West part. The castle or the Hermitage Solitude is located on a long ridge between the towns of Leonberg, Gerlingen and the Stuttgart city districts Weilimdorf and Botnang. Direct built on the outskirts of the northern slope, it offers views north to the lowlands Württemberg in Ludwigsburg.

The Schloss Solitude

History

The construction period was marked by political and financial adversity. Carl Eugen was an exceedingly construction and representation joyful prince - by Giacomo Casanova, for example, an enthusiastic description of the magnificent royal household, the buildings and the technically sophisticated theater survived. The construction exceeded the financial capabilities of the Duchy of Württemberg. Because of the financial problems of the state led to political conflicts of the Duke with the influential Württemberg Estates in Stuttgart, which resulted in the Duke moved his residence from Stuttgart to Ludwigsburg. Ultimately, the complex representation and maintenance of Solitude were neither financially nor politically sustainable. Already in 1775, the royal household was set there and relocated to Hohenheim.

In 1770 the school was Karl ( Karl since 1781 High School ) founded by Duke Carl Eugen and was initially in the ducal Solitude Palace. It served as a military academy, Academy of Fine Arts and later as General College and was provided as an elite school for the sons of distinguished families Württemberg. Her most famous pupil was Friedrich Schiller, who was, like his father, Johann Caspar Schiller enrolled there. 1775, the school was moved to Stuttgart. Even Friedrich von Schiller spent some time as an apprentice (student) at Solitude.

Schiller's father became in 1775 director of the ducal courtyard gardens at Schloss Solitude.

Later, the site was used less and less, and the gardens fell into disrepair. The Eberhard church was demolished and rebuilt at its present location at King Street in Stuttgart again.

The castle fell into disrepair and orphaned. Mid 20th century, was attacked the buildings, the roofs rotted; The ceiling paintings by Nicolas Guibal and the ceiling frescoes were largely destroyed by water damage. 1972-1983 renovated the Federal Republic of Germany, the building with the interiors, including the frescoes and ceiling paintings.

From May 1968 to 1986, was located in today's academy building an autonomous college dorm. Many of the residents were musicians, actors and dancers, were added social workers, architects and engineers. They joined forces and organized concerts, jazz sessions, dance and other art projects. Professor KRH Sonderborg from the Art Academy in Stuttgart, the conductor Manfred Schreier and actress Bettina copper were frequent guests.

Current usage

Schloss Solitude is open for tours. It is one of the nation 's monuments and is supervised by the institution " State Palaces and Gardens of Baden -Württemberg". Since 1990, the two Uffizi and cavalier buildings, Akademie Schloss Solitude in the outbuildings of the castle, housed, which has made the promotion of young artists to the task. The Cavalier buildings serve among other things as housing for fellows.

Here also the Graevenitz Museum is housed. It displays works by the sculptor Fritz Stuttgart Graevenitz ( 1892-1959 ).

Architecture

Schloss Solitude was drafted by a working group under the guidance of the court architect Philippe de La Guêpière at court, with the prince himself and some other builders such as Johann Friedrich Weyhing energetic participation. Externally there is a typical rococo palace. Inside, however, makes itself the incipient neo-classical era noticeable: Instead of the irregular, lively forms of Rococo, the rooms and walls are divided into quiet classical proportions.

Imitator

Schloss Solitude, like many castles, but rather late copied. 1908 planned the Frankish baron and imperial captain Crafft Baron Steward to and from Wetzhausen an exact replica in its Frankish home near Schweinfurt. However, the King of Württemberg Wilhelm II put a stop to this project. This was the beginning chateau Craheim a castle new building, the south facade only inspired by Solitude.

The Solitudeallee

Duke Carl Eugen left the avenue 1764-1768 build as connecting axis the Royal Palace in Ludwigsburg. It starts at the northern main gate of the castle Solitude. As a nameless wide path leads steeply down the hillside. At the foot of the slope, it unites with the Bergheim walkways. From the Weilimdorfer district Bergheim they say Solitudestraße. Through the district Wolfsbusch it continues to the center of Stuttgart -Weilimdorf. From the district border to Korntal is the street name Solitudeallee. About Korntal she continues to Stuttgart - Neuwirthaus, Stuttgart master home and Kornwestheim, then as a paved country lane on the Langenfeld to Ludwigsburg.

This is despite the hilly landscape an exact straight line and could therefore serve as a baseline for the Wurttemberg Land Survey of 1820. Today, it is still almost completely intact. Only in Weilimdorf, where it coincides with the main road, and in Ludwigsburg, where it crosses the railway land, there is one small offset.

According to the plaque on the inside of the castle is 40118.718 Paris foot or 13032.14 meters long.