Sightseeing in Stuttgart – 20 most interesting places
Tourists consider this city ideal. Cleanliness, comfort, loyalty to traditions, and at the same time a developed high-tech sphere – all this distinguishes it from other cities in Germany. The sights of Stuttgart are also numerous. After all, buildings began to be built here in the 9th-10th centuries. The status of the city of Stuttgart was assigned in the 13th century. About a hundred years later it became the capital of the Württemberg states. In the 15th and 16th centuries, during the peasant uprisings and the Thirty Years' War, many buildings in the city were damaged and destroyed. After the end of Napoleon's reign, science and culture developed in Stuttgart. The Second World War caused great damage to the city – it was subjected to numerous bombardments. In the post-war period, a lot of restoration work was carried out, and now it is visited by thousands of tourists every year. Not all of them have the opportunity to come here for a long time, some can spend only 1-2 days in Stuttgart. What is the first thing to see here?
old lock
This ancient castle began to be built in the 5th century. However, over time, its main defensive purpose was lost, and thoroughbred horses were kept here. But later the castle was restored, and a beautiful building with towers became the residence of the Dukes of Württemberg. Currently, the castle is available for inspection by tourists – it houses the Baden-Württemberg Museum.
Guests pay tribute to the openwork, like a lacy facade and the sights of the courtyard. Here you can see a large bronze bell from the 16th century, a statue of Duke Eberhard. The museum has permanent exhibitions, which present archaeological finds, documents and photographs that tell about the history of the region. Externally, the castle looks very monumental. The museum is open daily from 10 am to 6 pm.
new palace
It is one of the main attractions, it was built in the second half of the 18th century as a new residence for the rulers of the Württemberg family on the initiative of Duke Karl Eugene. He wanted to give his city a “second Versailles”. Wings erected around the central body made it possible to form an enclosed courtyard.
The interior of the palace eventually acquired an imperial style. It was within these walls that the man who was destined to become the President of Germany, Richard von Weizsacker, was born. Today the palace houses the Ministry of Education and Culture of the region. In addition, various events are held here – concerts, readings, receptions. To clarify when you can visit the palace, you should call.
Palace Square
Perhaps this is one of the most beautiful squares in the world. It was formed in the 60s of the 20th century, on the site that was previously occupied by the Military Palace. Now famous architectural compositions are harmoniously combined here. The local park is also extraordinarily beautiful. On the square you can see a large number of clubs with fresh flowers and the Jubilee column dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the coronation of William the First.
The central gate of the Royal House overlooks the square, next to the Museum of Fine Arts and the New Palace. At the end of the 20th century, the buildings overlooking the Palace Square were reconstructed one after another. Now major events are held on the square, and open-air cinema is also shown here. There are always a lot of tourists here – there is something to see on Palace Square.
Schiller Square
At the end of the 16th century, it was decided to arrange the Palace Square. By order of Duke Friedrich, the residential buildings between the Monastic Church and the Old Chancellery were demolished. Initially, it was an exclusively ducal territory, and only after a long time, at the beginning of the 20th century, ordinary citizens were able to come here.
As a sign of this, a monument to Schiller, the singer of freedom, was erected here, made by the sculptor Thorvaldsen in Munich. Now a flower market opens here three times a week, in August there are tents of the Wine Village, and in December – the Christmas Fair. Schiller Square looks most picturesque in flower decoration.
Solitude Palace
The palace was built in the middle of the 18th century by order of Duke Karl Eugene, who loved privacy. But still there were solemn receptions that the duke had to give from time to time. A straight street connected the palace with Ludwigsburg Castle. For quite a long period, a higher school worked in the palace, which was headed by Friedrich Schiller's father, Johann. At the end of the 20th century, Solitude was restored, and today it houses an academy, exhibition halls, as well as the “Villa Massimo”, for gifted artists who receive scholarships.
Open from April to October – from Tuesday to Sunday, from 9:00 to 12:00 and from 13:30 to 17:00. From November to March – from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10:00 to 12:00 and from 13:30 to 16:00.
Rosenstein Palace
The palace was built during the reign of King William the First in the early 19th century. It was named after Queen Katherine's favorite flower. The palace is built in classical style. Tourists are greatly impressed by its pediments, decorated with scenes from Greek mythology.
King Wilhelm died in this palace in 1864. It currently houses the Natural History Museum. It works according to the following schedule: Tuesday-Friday from 9 am to 5 pm, Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm.
Ludwigsburg residence
The former residence of the rulers of Württemberg, in the vicinity of which the city of Ludwigsburg was then formed. The main building here was built in the early 18th century. It is made in the Baroque style. A magnificent park was laid out around the residence, in which there are also buildings that house museums – for example, ceramics, theater, fashion. The residence is very popular; thousands of tourists visit it every year. The interior of the palace has retained its historical flavor: the furniture on which the kings sat, the carpets on which the people who left their mark on history stepped.
It was here that Napoleon, Elector Frederick and Emperor Alexander met in 1805. From here, the emperor of France, Charles de Gaulle, addressed the youth. Children especially like to walk in the park, where the “Garden of Fairy Tales” is located. Here you can admire fairy-tale characters and ride on old carousels. You will need to pay only the entrance to the park, entertainment is free there.
Museums are open daily from 10 am to 5 pm.
monastery church
It is a symbol and the main Protestant church of the city. Its construction began in the 10th century, and today it is the only building that has survived from the Hohenstaufen era. The best preserved basement floor is typical of the Romanesque style. The exterior and interior of the temple have changed over the centuries. The Roman basilica gave way to late Gothic structures. A monument to Ulrich was erected inside.
Regular worship in the church began to take place from the middle of the 16th century and continued until World War II, when the church was destroyed. In the post-war period, the monastery church was restored. Of particular value are the murals of the 1st century and the sculptural composition depicting the rulers of Stuttgart.
Linden Museum
This is the State Museum of Ethnography, one of the largest in Europe. It is divided into 7 parts dedicated respectively to 7 parts of the world. In 1882, the Württemberg Society for Commercial Geography was founded. The museum was named after its chairman, Count von Linden. The museum was built in the neoclassical style, and was opened in 1911. At that time, its collection consisted of over 60,000 exhibits.
Today the activities of the museum are funded by the state. Numerous scientific events are also held here – lectures, reports, etc. The museum is open: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday – from 10 am to 5 pm, on Wednesday from 10 am to 8 pm, on Friday from 10 am to 1 pm. The museum is closed on Mondays. Free admission.
Mercedes-Benz Museum
This is a whole huge complex, which, in addition to the museum, includes the local center of the company and the arcade. Thomas the building resembles a clover leaf, in the middle you can see a platform in the shape of a triangle. Tourists choose one of several tour options. But in any case, they will see the cars of celebrities – for example, Kaiser Wilhelm or the Emperor of Japan – Hirohito, admire the exhibits that clearly represent the long path of development of vehicles – from carriages to racing cars.
In particular, here you can see public and professional transport – buses, fire trucks. It is unlikely that a whole day will be enough to get acquainted with the expositions. The museum is open daily, except Monday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Porsche Museum
It opened relatively recently – in 2009. Its architectural solution is very unusual. It seems that the huge exhibition halls are just floating in the air. This impression is created because the structures are supported by 3 concrete pillars. At the same time, they weigh as much as the famous Eiffel Tower.
Museum guests can see 5 dozen cars placed on displays, and 200 – in the form of small exhibits. Also here you can get acquainted with the history of the development of a well-known automobile company, since here are models produced in past years. The museum is open from 9 am to 6 pm.
Pig Museum
Despite the prosaic name, this is a very interesting museum. According to the Germans, pigs bring happiness. It is not surprising that the inhabitants of the city decided to collect interesting facts and exhibits related to these animals. The shape of the museum also resembles a pigsty, where 40,000 toy pigs have found a home. They are made of different materials – there are glass pigs, there are porcelain, wooden, plastic, made of fabric. All of them are housed in 25 rooms of the museum.
In the museum you can get a variety of information. Those who are interested in the structure of pigs, their behavior, character will receive answers to all their questions. And if you think about the role of pigs in art or religion, they will tell you about it. The Pig Museum is included in the Guinness Book of Records. Open daily from 11:00 to 19:30.
State Gallery
The State Art Gallery opened in the middle of the 19th century. Over time, the New Gallery was built according to the design of James Stirling, and then the 3rd building was erected, where famous graphic works are presented. In the art gallery, guests can see paintings by famous artists of past centuries: Rubens and Durer, Monet and Renoir, as well as many others. Sculptures and photographs are on display.
Tourists also admire the new building, which resembles a ship rushing along the green waves. Here is the largest gallery of paintings by Pablo Picasso in the country. On Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday-Sunday, the museum is open from 10 am to 6 pm, on Thursdays from 10 am to 9 pm, Monday is closed.
Museum of Art
An unusual building in the shape of a cube, located in the city center, attracts the attention of tourists. This is the Museum of Art. The project was developed by the architectural bureau “Hasher Yele”. The total area of the museum is 5000 square meters. His pride is the gift of Count di Casanova, who in the early 20s of the last century gave the museum his collection of paintings. In total, about 15 thousand works of art are collected here.
Thanks to the wide staircase, museum guests can get both to the exhibition halls located above the ground and to the underground premises. The museum also has its own library. The Museum of Art is open every day of the week except Mondays from 10:00 to 18:00, and on Fridays until 21:00.
City Library
Without exaggeration, this library can be called the best in Germany, and it is no coincidence that it is included in the list of the 25 most beautiful libraries on the planet. She is admired by readers all over the world. It is as if the wisdom of the ages is concentrated here. There are publications in hundreds of foreign languages. Rising to the highest, eighth floor, you can see the internal structure of buildings – countless racks and stairs. The library is open 6 days a week from 9 am to 9 pm. Also here you can take CDs, paintings and photographs for viewing.
State Opera
The building was designed by Max Littmann and was opened in 1912. The theater can accommodate a little over 1,400 people, during one season about 250,000 spectators manage to visit it. This opera house has received a good reputation not only in Germany, but throughout the world. There are few theaters of this level left in the country that would have survived after the Second World War.
Many operas by famous composers, which later gained fame and recognition, were first presented to the audience here. More than once the creative team was awarded the “Opera Theater of the Year” award. Artistic productions are recorded on discs and distributed among opera and ballet lovers living in different countries of the world.
Königstrasse street
Everyone knows Königstrasse because it is the main street of the city. It starts at the railway station and runs through the center. It is here that the largest number of shopping centers and branded stores are located. For those who intend to visit the Palace Square, you can set off along the Königstrasse. And it is no coincidence. The street was founded in the 19th century by order of King Frederick the First. He wanted to turn modest Stuttgart into a city worthy of a ruling dynasty.
At the beginning of Königstrasse, the Royal Gate and the stables were placed. Today, literally every house on this street has a rich historical past. Since a huge number of citizens and guests come here, in the middle of the last century, Königstrasse was turned into a pedestrian zone, moving the tram lines underground. Since then, here is not only the local “Arbat”, but also the venue for numerous city events. The most famous goods, wine of famous brands, handmade souvenirs are worth buying here.
Killesburg Tower
The tower is an open structure of 4 levels, the total height of which is 40 m. Each level has an observation platform, but not everyone dares to climb them. Both the platforms themselves and the stairs leading to them are fenced only with transparent railings. This gives the impression that the tower is just hanging in the air.
Stuttgart TV Tower
This tower, which is 216 meters high, was built in less than 2 years. It entered service in the mid-1950s. Today, only radio broadcasts are broadcast from here. From the very moment of its opening, the tower has become a place of attraction for tourists, a kind of calling card, and the world's first television tower made of concrete. It is open for visits at the present time. Tourists can climb to a height of up to 152 m.
Look at the city from a height and sit in a restaurant, which also offers a panoramic view. And from here you can see not only the buildings of Stuttgrat, but also the peaks of the Alps. It is better to book a table in advance by phone. The schedule for visiting the tower depends on the days of the week: from Sunday to Wednesday – from 9 to 22.30, from Thursday to Saturday – from 9 to 1.30. In general, a leisurely tour of the TV tower takes about 1.5 hours.
Wilhelm's Botanical Garden
It was founded in the middle of the 19th century by order of King William the First. Includes a botanical garden and a zoo. In total, guests can see about 10 thousand representatives of flora and fauna. The climate allows you to keep animals here, living in nature in different regions of the world. Along with wild animals, farm animals are also represented.
All animals are well-groomed and good-natured. It is also interesting to look at old redwoods, a whole grove of magnolias, orchids of amazing shape and color. The park's opening hours depend on the season – it closes at nightfall, respectively, in the cold season – earlier. To see the park in the winter months, excursions must be booked ahead of time. Since the park is very large, and it takes a lot of time to see it, there is a restaurant and a cafe.
Today the city is unofficially considered the automotive capital of Germany. It is no coincidence that such a large number of people visit the museums of the largest companies Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. But this city is also one of the major cultural centers. Ancient palaces, castles and churches, a large number of churches – speak of its rich history. Being in Stuttgart, one cannot help but visit its museums and art galleries, and young tourists will appreciate the zoo, botanical garden, and planetarium.
Theaters, numerous shops, restaurants and cafes are waiting for guests. The mild climate makes a stay in this old German city wonderful at any time of the year.