The first place I visited in Stuttgart, and the first real tourist experience I had here, was going to Schlossplatz. It truly feels like the city’s heart, the center where everything comes alive. And I honestly feel lucky that I stay just about three train stops away, which makes it incredibly easy for me to head there anytime I feel like exploring or just breathing in the city’s energy. Anyway, my roommate had invited me to join him for some grocery shopping, so I simply assumed we were heading to a regular supermarket. We got onto the train, and I wasn’t really paying attention to the stops or where exactly we were going. I was too busy looking around, taking everything in, and since I wasn’t alone, I knew I would reach wherever I was meant to reach. Then, when we got off at the stop and stepped out of the station, I suddenly saw the iconic landmark of Stuttgart right in front of me.
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Every time I had Googled the city or looked up images before moving here, this was the place that always appeared first. Seeing it in person gave me such a rush of excitement, like a genuine “Wow, I’m actually here” moment. Schlossplatz has this magical way of making you instantly feel like you’re truly in the city. It’s a beautiful, beautiful place. The word Schloss literally means “castle” in German, and Germany is filled with castles everywhere you go. Stuttgart has a few of its own, and this one is among the notable ones here. And the pictures that I saw on Google definitely did not do justice. It is definitely worth being the heart of the city. Like, on one side you have these malls, shopping complexes, and all the signs of modern life going on. And on the other end you have the beautiful castle. And it feels like the elegant old buildings and the vibrant modern life are blended together so perfectly. And I think that is the true essence of this place and of Germany altogether.
The best part of this visit was I was with my German roommate, so I knew I was going to get a proper experience out of this. So, the first thing that I laid eyes on was the 'Jubiläumssäule', literally translates to Jubilee column which is the tall column at the center of the square, and on the top, there is a statue of Concordia, who apparently is the goddess of harmony, and this is a very beautiful column, where the goddess stands gracefully above the column, and at the bottom, there are fountains and flowerbeds, and it's really beautiful.I googled a bit about its history, and apparently it was built in 1841 to celebrate King Wilhelm’s Silver Jubilee (hence the name), or at least that’s what I understood. And there is also a botanical garden named after this king, which I only realized when I saw the name again. So it’s a really beautiful column, and I obviously had to take pictures with it.
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It was a Saturday afternoon, and it was a sunny day, and the weather was perfect, and there were quite a few people around going on about their days. Some had come there for one or the other errands, since there are office buildings, banks, and all sorts of places near the square, and some had just come to sit on the benches or walk their dogs or play with their kids. And then there were people like me, tourists who were simply trying to take it all in. It was definitely a really, really beautiful experience.
So, just behind the Jubilee Column, there is the Grand New Palace, or the Neueus Schloss, with its Baroque-style architecture and what feels like a million windows that perfectly reflected the afternoon light. The building was really, really gorgeous, and it felt like a glimpse into history. It’s been built in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and it truly is beautiful. And then, I don’t exactly remember the order, but we went inside. We walked around the main palace area, and then we headed indoors, where there was the statue of the Duke on his horse. It’s a very simple place, but it still struck me as incredibly beautiful and very European.
So my friend told me that this place was heavily damaged during the Second World War, and it was painstakingly restored, and it must have taken, like, decades to make it look like what it looks like to me now. That just gave me so much more appreciation for the place, and it was fascinating. I felt really proud to be standing in a city that had rebuilt itself in such an amazing way after the great loss it experienced, and now is at the heart of innovation, technology and Germany's growing economy. And the fact that the culture was never forgotten or left behind, makes it all the more impressive.
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Schlossplatz will definitely remain one of my favorite places in Stuttgart and Germany because it gave me the first glimpse into a new country and it's culture and history.
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