Solitude Palace, Stuttgart

Solitude Palace (Schloss Solitude) is a Rococo-style schloss located in Baden-Württemberg on a ridge between Leonberg, Gerlingen, and Stuttgart. Commissioned by Charles Eugene, Duke of Württemberg, it was constructed between 1764 and 1769 by architects Johann Friedrich Weyhing and Philippe de La Guêpière. Originally intended as a modest hunting retreat, the project expanded into a grander palace complex, influenced by both Rococo and emerging Neoclassical styles.

The complex includes a central palace building, two outbuildings, and various avenues. An extensive garden, designed by Friedrich Christoph Hemmerling and later expanded upon by Reinhard Heinrich Ferdinand Fischer, featured elements such as a hedge maze, theater, orangery, riding hall, chinoiserie house, and zoos. The gardens and surrounding forests were meticulously maintained to support perforce-style hunting.

Solitude Palace's interior design reflects the transitional period from Rococo to Neoclassicism, a shift evident by its completion. One notable feature is the Solitude Avenue, a 13-kilometer road connecting the palace to Ludwigsburg Palace, originally reserved for the royal household.

The palace fell into disuse in the 20th century, with the gardens neglected and many of the original ceiling frescoes by Nicolas Guibal damaged. During wartime, it served as a military hospital. Restoration efforts between 1972 and 1983 revived the palace's interiors. The site also housed an autonomous dormitory from 1968 to 1986, which attracted various artists and professionals, including prominent figures like Professor K.R.H. Sonderborg and actress Bettina Kupfer.