Monday 13 June 2011

Castle Solitude, Stuttgart, Germany


Castle Solitude in Stuttgart, Germany, was built as a hunting lodge between 1764 and 1769 under Duke Karl Eugen of Württemberg. It is not a true castle, but rather a rococo palace. Since 1956 the area is part of the urban district of Stuttgart-West. The castle is located on a high plain between the towns of Leonberg, Gerlingen and Stuttgart. The castle offers views to the north over Weilimdorf, Korntal and Ludwigsburg.


The Castle Solitude is an 18th century castle located in the city of Stuttgart, Germany. The castle was built by Duke Karl Eugen of Württemberg between 1764 and 1769 and is instead as a castle often regarded as a rococo palace. The construction of the Castle Solitude was due political and financial problems of the Duchy of Württemberg. Duke Karl Eugen involved himself and the Duchy of Württemberg into the Seven Years' War (1756–1763) and found himself on the losing side against Prussia, while the newly constructed castle became a serious financial burden and turned out to be to expensive to be used exclusively as a residence.


In 1775 move in the Castle Solitude a high school established in 1770 by Duke Eugen, while it also served as an academy of arts, a military academy and later a general university for the children from wealthy families. After the Duke Eugen's death in the late 18th century was the Castle Solitude abandoned until 1972 when Federal Republic of Germany carried out a restoration which was completed in 1983. Since 1990 the castle houses the Academy Castle Solitude but it is also open to the public.


The area of Castle Solitude first belonged to Weilimdorf. After the middle of the 19th century it belonged to Gerlingen until the 31st of March 1942, at which point it was assigned to the suburb of Botnang before being integrated into the district of Stuttgart-West in 1956.


Since 1990, the annexed buildings (Officen-building and Kavaliers-building) have housed the 'Castle Solitude' academy. The Kavaliersbuilding incorporates living quarters for students.

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