Städtisches Lapidarium, Stone sculpture museum and garden in Stuttgart, Germany
The Städtisches Lapidarium is a museum in Stuttgart that displays stone sculptures, building elements, and architectural details from different periods, arranged across a terraced garden. The objects sit among old trees, walkways, and small water features, making the space both a park and an open-air exhibition.
The garden was laid out in 1905 by Karl von Ostertag-Siegle, following the model of Italian Renaissance gardens. The city of Stuttgart bought the property in 1950 and turned it into the lapidarium.
Many of the stones come from buildings torn down as Stuttgart grew and changed over the 19th and early 20th centuries. Walking through the garden, visitors see portals, reliefs, and column fragments side by side, like pieces of a city that no longer exists.
The lapidarium sits in a residential neighborhood and is easy to reach on foot from the nearest bus stop. Entry is free, but it is worth checking opening hours in advance, as they change by season.
In winter, the lapidarium offers evening walks by lantern light, where the sculptures and garden paths look very different from how they appear during the day. These tours are not widely known and offer a visit that feels nothing like the daytime experience.
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