From Schloss Solitude via the Bärenschlössle to Pfaffensee
This woodland walk leads from Schloss Solitude to the Bärenschlössle and along the Parkseen lakes to Pfaffensee. Royal leisure pursuits and the history of Stuttgart’s water supply have shaped this landscape, with a welcoming place to stop for refreshments right on the route at the Bärenschlössle.
Translated from German with the help of AI. Audio guides are available in German. Read the original in German
Starting at Schloss Solitude
Schloss Solitude provides an architectural opening to this walk through western Stuttgart. Duke Carl Eugen had it built between 1763 and 1769 as a hunting lodge and pleasure palace. Extensive gardens, game parks and forests formed part of this royal retreat. The grand main building and more modest outbuildings tell the story of an estate that combined leisure with courtly display. The route begins in the palace grounds; there is no need to visit the interior to follow it.
Through the woods to the Bärenschlössle
From the palace, the path leads through the woods to the Bärenschlössle. Between the starting point at Solitude and the lakes, woodland sets the tone for the walk. Overall, the route has more descent than ascent.
At the Bärenschlössle, the area’s royal past comes into view again. Carl Eugen also had a pleasure pavilion built here. A hunting pavilion later replaced it under King Wilhelm I. The present building is the result of successive destruction and rebuilding. Its position above Bärensee links it to the lakes below. Today, it serves as a restaurant for day-trippers, offering a convenient refreshment stop along the route.
Along the northern shore of Neuer See
The route then follows the Parkseen lakes to the northern shore of Neuer See. The water brings another chapter in this cultural landscape’s history to the fore: the lakes were artificially created and supplied Stuttgart with water for many years. Neuer See was added in the 19th century and is held back by an earth dam. Use of the Parkseen lakes for drinking water ended in 1998. Bärensee, Neuer See and Pfaffensee now lie within the Rot- und Schwarzwildpark nature reserve.
Finishing at Pfaffensee
The final section leads to Pfaffensee. It was created as early as 1566 on the orders of Duke Christoph. Its water was intended to increase the flow of the Nesenbach, helping, among other things, to power the mills in the valley. The project included the Christophstollen tunnel, which channelled water towards Heidenklinge. The walk thus finishes at the oldest of the 3 neighbouring lakes. The route ends at Pfaffensee and does not return to Schloss Solitude.
Stops along the route
Bärenschlössle
bei km 3.2 ·
Above the Bärensee stands a building with a history marked by repeated destruction and rebuilding. Duke Carl Eugen had a pleasure pavilion built here. After it was demolished, a hunting pavilion was erected under King Wilhelm I in 1817. The surrounding deer park also hosted ceremonial court hunts, followed by festive meals. The present building is a reconstruction: an incendiary bomb in the Second World War and a fire in 1994 largely destroyed its predecessors. Its current use as a restaurant for day-trippers continues the site's dining tradition in a different form.
Northern Shore of the Neuer See
bei km 3.9 ·
From the northern shore, you look out over one of the artificial reservoirs in western Stuttgart. The Neuer See was created in the 19th century; its recorded construction date is 1833. Together with the Bärensee and Pfaffensee, it forms a group of woodland lakes whose water was used to supply the city. This landscape is also a feat of engineering: an earth dam holds back the water. The Parkseen ceased to be used for drinking water in 1998. Today, the lake lies within the Rot- und Schwarzwildpark nature reserve.
Pfaffensee
bei km 4.8 ·
This woodland lake is the oldest of the 3 neighbouring Parkseen. Duke Christoph had it created by damming in 1566. The reason was a shortage of water in the Nesenbach, which also affected the millers in the valley. The stored water was to reach the stream via the Heidenklinge ravine. For this purpose, the Christophstollen tunnel, named after the duke, was built to carry the water underground through the ridge. The lake was thus part of an early water engineering project for Stuttgart. It predates the courtly palace landscape of Solitude by around 2 centuries.
Practical
- Start
- Schloss Solitude
· Navigate to the start - Weather
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- Live bus and train times
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- By bus and train
- Start: no railway station within 1.5 km.
Finish: Stuttgart Universität station (about 1370 m).
The route page shows current departures; check the timetable before travelling. - Places to eat and drink
- The Bärenschlössle restaurant is right on the route. Check opening hours in advance.
- Notes
- Bärensee, Neuer See and Pfaffensee lie within the Rot- und Schwarzwildpark nature reserve. Observe the reserve’s rules and local signs. This is not a circular route.
Your location is only used for guidance and any requested route changes. Watch out for traffic and follow signs.
The duration is an estimate and does not include breaks. Pay attention to signs, closures and the weather. In an emergency: 112. Quelle des Wegverlaufs: Berechnet mit openrouteservice aus OpenStreetMap-Daten (© OpenStreetMap-Mitwirkende, ODbL).
Datenquellen
- Map: © MapTiler © OpenStreetMap-Mitwirkende
- Paths and places: © openrouteservice.org by HeiGIT · © OpenStreetMap-Mitwirkende
- Bus and train: Deutsche Bahn AG, Timetables API (CC BY 4.0)
- Weather: Deutscher Wetterdienst (über Bright Sky)
- Weather: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0)
- Tourismusdaten: Deutsche Zentrale für Tourismus (DZT) – Knowledge Graph, Daten der jeweiligen Anbieter