Stuttgart Old Castle — A Place to Feel the Past

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Stuttgart Old Castle (Altes Schloss) was built around 941 as a simple water-surrounded castle for protection of a stud farm (in German Gestüt from which the original name Stutengarten was derived).

Itexpanded up until the Renaissance in the middle of the 16th century as the residence of the counts and dukes of Württemberg.

The squares and buildings surrounding Stuttgart Old Castle arose as an ensemble with direct reference to this center of royal power, and still mark the appearance of Stuttgart's historic center today. The Württemberg State Museum (Württembergisches Landesmuseum) is housed in the Old Palace.

Stuttgart Old Castle

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The Stuttgart Old Castle goes back on one to the protection of the Stutengartens (the stud, which gave Stuttgart its name) into 10th Century established water castle. After the counts von Wuerttemberg in 14th Century its master seat (red mountain) to Stuttgart shifted, the castle of the new function one increased accordingly. 1325 developed in place of old building parts of the Duernitzbau, the "yard tube" of the closer attendants.

Only duke Christoph of Wuerttemberg (1550-1568) moved the castle character into the foreground: He let the old castle in the internal area transform to a magnificent Renaissance palace. Building masters were Aberlin Tretsch and Blasius Berwart. Despite the many changes and altered sections, the Old Castle kept its medieval character.

In December 1931, a fire destroyed the Duernitzbau and two towers. The repairs were not terminated yet, when 1944 a bomb attack caused again devastating damages. But at 1946, under the direction of Paul Schmitthenner, already began the reconstruction, which found 1962 with the re-establishment of the Renaissance inner court its conclusion.

Today, the building in its outside form corresponds to the former residence castle of the reformation time to a large extent.

Next step? The New Castle!

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