Stone Rest Bench

There are around 60 Gruhen in the Ludwigsburg district. About half of them are still largely in their original state. In the past, when loads were still being carried, they were used as a convenient place to rest when resting. There are many terms for this: Ruhestein, Ruhbank, Grubstock, Gruhe, Gruhbank, Krugstatt or Gruegstatt as well as Raststein.

They are commonly called resting or resting benches. The majority, mostly made of natural stone, dates from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. They were only set up in northern Alsace and in the Neckarland, where they can still be found in places today.

Especially for the country women from the Filder region, who carried their products to the Stuttgart market, the benches were a simple, yet very ingenious piece of furniture. Baskets from the head, butts and reefs from the back, sacks and cans from the hands could be set down at the appropriate height and picked up again comfortably after resting. The Steinernen Gruhen are now under monument protection.

Source: stuttgart.im-bild.org/fotos/sonstiges/gruhe-kirchheimer-strasse