Schillerplatz

Why go

This square is easy to read by its edges. The Stiftskirche, Fruchtkasten, Old Chancellery and Old Castle each contribute a different shape around the central statue. Looking around from the monument brings church, court and civic history into one contained setting, without needing to enter every building.

What to look for

• Bertel Thorvaldsen’s Schiller monument stands at the centre.
• The gabled Fruchtkasten marks one corner of the square.
• The Stiftskirche’s unequal towers break the surrounding roofline.

The full story

The square takes its name from Friedrich Schiller, the poet, dramatist, historian and philosopher commemorated at its centre. Bertel Thorvaldsen’s monument was erected in 1839. Its position makes the writer the focus of a space otherwise framed by institutions of church and court, adding a literary strand to a visit through Stuttgart’s former seat of power. The enclosing buildings are the reason to linger. The Stiftskirche and the gabled Fruchtkasten differ sharply from the Old Castle and Old Chancellery, yet the small square brings them into a single view. Look at the changing rooflines before picking out individual façades. Compared with the broad lawns and palace frontage of Schlossplatz nearby, Schillerplatz feels more enclosed. Moving between the two squares makes the difference between Stuttgart’s older centre and its later royal setting especially clear.

Useful to know

• Use the central monument as a point from which to compare the surrounding buildings.
• Combine the square with the Stiftskirche and Old Castle, then contrast it with Schlossplatz.

Your next visit

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