It was a beautiful day, sunny and warm enough to welcome the shade under the trees.
In Ludwigsburg's immediate vicinity, there are no woods to speak of, but a few train stops away, closer to Stuttgart, is a large woodland area (called "Glemswald") where many paths offer enough space for walkers, runners and cyclists without getting in each other's way.
The font with the hare relief above is called Häslesbrunnen, "hare's font". It has been there for centuries as a welcome stop for people (and probably their horses or other animals, too) to refresh themselves with a drink of water. Until the 1950s or so, the water was deemed of drinking quality, but standards have changed and nowadays a sign says "no drinking water".
The relief was created in the 1950s by an artist about whom I didn't know anything, but was to learn a lot before the day was over.
Getting closer to the small pleasure palace "Solitude" (built for the same duke of Wuerttemberg who gave Ludwigsburg's palace the size and look it has today), the road leads past horse pastures and stables. The stable building in the back is as old as the palace, mid-18th century.
Tucked away behind a high hedge, we arrived at this handsome building. It houses a small museum for the artist who made the hare relief above the font. We had time, there was hardly anybody about, and we were curious, so we went inside and spent a very pleasant half hour or so learning about the life and work of Fritz von Graevenitz (1892 - 1959). The building and garden once were his family's house and workshop, and the museum is still managed by the family. A short biography (in German) and pictures of the artist and his works can be found here.
We were now approaching Solitude palace. The palace itself is the central point of an ensemble of buildings. As was the fashion of the time, everything was planned perfectly symmetrical. Rows of small houses, the "Cavaliers' Houses", lead the way to the palace. These smaller houses are very well kept and privately owned, not open to the public.
We didn't feel like joining a guided tour (the only way to be allowed into the palace), but caught some glimpses nonetheless:
Through the central archway underneath the palace, one has a rather spectacular view of the Greater Stuttgart area, all the way to Ludwigsburg, where we live (provided the right weather conditions, of course).
The plaque on the ground is an official measuring point of what in the UK you would call ordnance survey. It shows the exact distance to Ludwigsburg palace.
Here is the view towards our home town:
We sat there on the grass for a while, eating our sandwiches and having a drink of water, before we set off on the next part of our walk.
One last glimpse back towards Solitude palace:
Part II will be the subject of my next post.
I am so fascinated with Germany, there's so much history! My parents were there in the late '60's early '70's. I believe they came back some time around '75 or '76. My brother wasn't very old when they came back to the states, so it couldn't have been much later than that. Anyway, they have shared so many experiences they had there that I've always wanted to see it. What a beautiful building and to have all that history, it's just awesome! Thank you for sharing this with us!
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome, Mel, and I thank you for reading and commenting!
DeleteThere truly is a lot of history around here. Yesterday, for instance, we went walking in another wood and came across ancient earth walls that were put there thousands of years ago to protect a prehistoric settlement.
I believe we visited Schloss Solitude at least once...And when we lived in Germany we hiked somewhere every weekend, and often during the week as well......Lovely memories.
ReplyDeleteI am sure you have, Kristi, since you were in the Stuttgart area; Schloss Solitude is easy to reach and almost a "must" for everyone who comes here. We saw it again yesterday, but from the opposite side of the valley it overlooks, on another walk through another wood.
DeleteWell, that was a nice walk - and the weather looked pleasant too. It is good to stumble across places - like the artist's house. Randomness can sometimes have more appeal than careful planning - providing childlike surprises.
ReplyDeleteThat's true, and the only thing we do really plan is our getting to and from a place when we do not use the car, so as we don't get stuck anywhere when the last train or bus has left.
DeleteLooked at this post yesterday in Feedly on my phone but returning now on the computer to see the views bigger :) You have so many beautiful old palaces in Germany - and picturesque villages too. I also remember being quite fascinated by villages more or less within walking distance of one another. (I've actually only been to Germany twice. Once by railway and once by bus.) At the same time I could see why so many Germans love to visit Sweden (lots of nature and less "crowded")
ReplyDeleteAnd that is particularly true of my part of Germany, Monica; the Greater Stuttgart area is one of the most densely populated ones, not quite as bad as the Ruhrgebiet or the immediate vicinity of Frankfurt, but still too many people and too much industry.
DeleteYou wouldn't think that looking at these pictures, would you!
Another enjoyable ramble. I'm always slightly surprised by how few people, if any, ever appear in your photos even at a distance; especially given the population density in the area. I was very taken with your view towards Ludwigsburg and the lovely cloud formation.
ReplyDeleteWe try to avoid big crowds on weekends - we get plenty of that on weekdays, both on the way to work and at work. It is not always easy, and what you never get to see is the pictures I never take, because there are too many folks around. Sometimes I make whoever is on a walk with me wait several minutes until a group of ramblers has gone past us, just so that I can take a picture of the particular view I want.
Delete