Inside the Schellenturm of 1564 in the Bohnenviertel, one of the last surviving pieces of Stuttgart's city fortifications, in use as a restaurant since 1980.
Built in 1564 as the Kastkellereiturm
The tower was raised in 1564 as part of the outer city wall, built up to 1567 under Duke Christoph of Württemberg. It is one of the few surviving remnants of Stuttgart's fortifications.
It was originally called the Kastkellereiturm, because the administration of the ducal estates sat here. Its present name comes from the Schellenwerker: convicted criminals sentenced to forced public labor, who wore bells on their clothing to mark them out.
A renovation in 1811 exposed the half-timbered upper floor, and another followed in 1906. In 1944 the tower was destroyed down to its massive stone base, then rebuilt to its 1906 state. The 1978/79 restoration was paid for by the Gemeinnützige Denkmalstiftung, a monument foundation formed by Stuttgart business owners, and on June 14, 1980 the tower was handed back to the public with a speech by mayor Manfred Rommel.
From tower to wine tavern
The tower has been in gastronomic use since 1980. For decades it was shaped by its landlord and cook, Rudolf Reutter. After his sudden death in February 2020 the building stood empty for roughly two and a half years.
The tavern reopened in late 2022. Michael Pernesch and Florian Kranich, who also run the Alte Rathaus in Plüderhausen, have led it since, with fresh regional Swabian cooking.
Practical details
Several web addresses circulate for the Schellenturm and it is not clear which one is actually maintained. For reservations, the safest route is a phone call or a message through Google Maps.
