Feel the cool smoothness of the Schiller Stone beneath your fingertips. This isn’t just any stone. This is Stuttgart’s tribute to Friedrich Schiller. A giant among German writers. A man whose words still resonate centuries later.
The Schiller Stone stands proudly in the heart of Schillerplatz. It’s a memorial. More than just a statue. It’s the first memorial to Schiller ever erected in Germany. The Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen created it in 1839. Imagine the excitement as the townspeople unveiled this masterpiece. A celebration of their beloved writer.
Before this stone stood here a busy square existed. Duke Friedrich I envisioned a Renaissance square. He had houses demolished. Cobblestones replaced the buildings. The square became Castle and Chancellery Square. Its dimensions haven’t changed since 1594. Quite remarkable. Think of the stories those cobblestones could tell. The generations who walked across them.
The square’s name changed in 1934. It became Schillerplatz. A fitting tribute. Schiller himself lived in Stuttgart from 1775 to 1782. He was a student at the Hohe Carlsschule. He even served as a regimental doctor. His famous play The Robbers caused trouble with the Duke. This led to Schiller’s exile in 1782. The play celebrated freedom. A dangerous act at the time.
The buildings around Schillerplatz survived the war. They were rebuilt after devastation. All except one. The King of England Inn was lost to the flames. A sad loss. A reminder of the past. The underground car park was built much later in 1972-73. Modernity buried beneath history.
Look closely at the Schiller Stone. Let Schiller’s spirit fill you. Feel the weight of history. The stone quietly stands as a testament to a brilliant mind. A man who challenged authority. A man who shaped German literature. His memory lives on. Here. In this stone. In this square. In this city.