Stuttgardia
The Stuttgardia is an allegorical figure and intended as the patron goddess of the city of Stuttgart , a medieval custom that was revived in many cities in the 19th century. These female city allegories are based on the example of the ancient goddess of "lucky fortune". They should represent the self-image and pride of the residents of a city. Typically, these sculptures had a city crown, a cornucopia and a city coat of arms . In Stuttgart there were two Stuttgardia sculptures in prominent places in the cityscape.
Stuttgardia fountain
In 1864, at the suggestion of the Stuttgart Beautification Association, the Stuttgardia Fountain was erected, also known at the time as the Stuttgartia Fountain . The fountain formed the end of the sharp corner between Reinsburgstrasse and Marienstraße (today in front of the Reinsburgstrasse 1 building). The bronze - statue of Stuttgardia created by the sculptor Ernst Rau , the cast led Wilhelm Pelargus out.
The fountain was destroyed in the Second World War. Today (2017) there is a former petrol station with a car care business at this point.
Stuttgardia sculpture at the town hall
At the beginning of the 20th century, the city of Stuttgart planned to build a new town hall . In the course of the planning, the Stuttgart court sculptor Heinz Fritz (1873-1927) was commissioned to create another Stuttgardia sculpture as architectural decoration. On April 1, 1905, the town hall including the Stuttgardia was inaugurated at its main portal. The town hall was largely destroyed in the bombing raids in World War II and demolished after the war. The undamaged Stuttgardia was dismantled from the town hall ruins on April 23, 1953 and initially stored in the municipal lapidarium . In 1968 it was attached to the side facade of the new town hall , built in 1956 , on the corner of Hirschstrasse and Marktplatz.
This Stuttgardia is a bronze statue that is 2.41 meters high and weighs 120 kilograms. As a model for the sculpture, Fritz chose the Jewish Else Weil from Stuttgart (1884–1955, married to the lawyer Dr. Hermann Wallach since 1905). However, instead of a cornucopia and coat of arms, the Stuttgardia holds a model of the (old) town hall in the left hand and an oak branch in the right, as oak leaves are a traditional symbol of Germany .
literature
- Wolfgang Müller: Stuttgart in old views. Zaltbommel 1979, plate 100.
- Bernd Langner, Wolfgang Kress: Views in all directions. 150 years of the Schönerungsverein Stuttgart e. V. 1861-2011. With thoughts on the future work of Erhard Bruckmann. Beautification Association Stuttgart, Stuttgart 2011, page 61.
Web links
- Description of the Stuttgardia at the town hall with a map on www.stuttgart.de
Coordinates: 48 ° 46 '30.9 " N , 9 ° 10' 39.9" E