TOP TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
What to Visit and Where to Go
Stuttgart, the capital of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany, lies in a basin enclosed by orchards and forest-covered hills.
At the bottom of the valley, you'll find the Neckar River and the older part of the city, featuring beautiful historic buildings and houses gently climbing the surrounding slopes. Where the hills rise a bit too steeply, staircases or stepped lanes dominate, providing endless opportunities for adventurous explorers. Besides being a significant fruit-growing center, the city's districts of Berg and Bad Cannstatt are home to the most productive mineral springs in Europe after those in Budapest. Stuttgart is also famed as the cradle of Germany's automotive industry, hosting the headquarters of Mercedes-Benz and Porsche.
TOP TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
What to Visit and Where to Go
Staatsgalerie Stuttgart
The Staatsgalerie Stuttgart houses one of Germany's finest art collections and is one of the country's most visited museums. Best known for its superlative collection of 20th-century paintings, the museum also boasts impressive collections of German Renaissance art, as well as Dutch and Italian masters from the 14th to the 19th centuries. The three buildings that make up the Staatsgalerie are as intriguing as its collections. The original building, Alte Staatsgalerie (or Old Gallery), was designed in a neoclassical style and opened in 1843. Adjacent is James Stirling's Neue Staatsgalerie (New Gallery), added in 1984 and a masterpiece of contemporary architecture. Its central feature is the rotunda, enclosed by three wings with roofs designed to admit light. The newest structure was added in 2002, a five-story building housing the Department of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs. Architectural tours of the Staatsgalerie are highly recommended.
Mercedes-Benz Museum
Stuttgart has had a long love affair with the automobile, tracing its roots back to 1887 when Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach set up shop here. A highlight of any visit to the city must be the wonderful Mercedes-Benz Museum with its exhibits related to the development of the automobile. The star attractions are, however, the more than 160 vehicles (free audio tours are available). The nearby Untertürkheim diesel engine plant is also open for tours, and the Porsche Museum, with its refined collection of over 300 restored vehicles, is also worth a visit.
Shopping at Schlossplatz
The expansive Schlossplatz is very much the focal point for visitors and locals alike. Surrounded by buildings that date back to Stuttgart's past role as a ducal and royal capital, at the center of this vast open space are the lovely gardens and the Jubilee Column, erected in 1841 to commemorate 25 years of King William I's reign. Here, you'll also find an iron band (1871); a series of modern sculpture pieces by Calder, Hrdlicka, and Hajek; and a lovely fountain. On the northwest side of the square is the 19th-century Königsbau with its colonnade and shopping arcades, and to the southwest, on higher ground, Kleiner Schlossplatz with its numerous boutique shops and restaurants.
Neues Schloss and Altes Schloss
Dominating Schlossplatz is Neues Schloss or the New Palace. Built in the late Baroque style and completed in 1807, the palace—once home to former kings—is now used by the state government. While tours are available only by special arrangement, just walking past the building's grand facade is impressively sufficient.
Not far away and also in Schlossplatz is the massive Altes Schloss or Old Castle. Although it can trace its roots back to the 10th century, the existing building along with its picturesque arcaded courtyard were constructed between 1553-78. Today, the impressive structure houses the Württemberg Landesmuseum with its fine collection of medieval art, musical instruments, clocks and watches, as well as the Württemberg crown jewels. In the south wing is the 16th-century palace church, where you'll find the tombs of famous locals and royalty.
Sepulchral Chapel on Württemberg Hill
Perched above Württemberg, overlooking Stuttgart and the Neckar Valley, stands the burial chapel of Queen Katharina, erected by King Wilhelm I as a monument to his beloved wife following her premature death. Built between 1820 and 1824, this beautiful structure, locally known as Grabkapelle, consists of a Neoclassical rotunda, inspired by the Pantheon in Rome (it's also where Wilhelm himself is buried). Make the climb, as you'll be rewarded with the most spectacular views of the city.
Wilhelma Zoological and Botanical Gardens
Named after a Moorish-style palace built in 1842, the Wilhelma Zoological and Botanical Gardens is a unique attraction. Beautifully landscaped with numerous greenhouses, animal houses, and an aquarium, Wilhelma has grown from a former royal retreat to Stuttgart's zoological and botanical gardens, attracting over two million visitors a year. Modeled (albeit loosely) on the famous Alhambra architecture of Granada, Spain—hence the local nickname, the Alhambra on the Neckar—the gardens are delightful to explore, as are the animal attractions, a highlight being the new Water House. Yet the facility houses over 8,000 animals from approximately 1,000 species, in addition to its impressive plant collection.
Schloss Solitude
While located a few kilometers outside central Stuttgart, Schloss Solitude—also known as Solitude Palace—is a must-see attraction. Built for Duke Karl Eugen in 1763, this spectacular palace contains many fine state apartments and its wonderful interior, designed in an old Rococo/early Neoclassical style, will make you wish to linger a while as you soak in its splendor. Important highlights include the well-preserved pavilion, with its decorative rooms, and the White Hall, with its beautifully crafted roof, frescoes, and ceiling paintings. Outside, in addition to the well-maintained grounds, you'll want to walk at least part of Solitude Allee, a 13-kilometer road that links the palace to the Residential Palace of Ludwigsburg and offers splendid views of the Württemberg plains. Entry to Schloss Solitude is possible only as part of a guided tour (for tours in English, please contact the attraction in advance).
Killesberg Park and Tower
First opened in 1939 as part of a large horticultural show, Killesberg Park is a 123-hectare open space that is fun to explore. Many of the structures seen today date from the pre-war period and are still used for flower shows and other events. One of the most popular original features is the Killesberg railway, a narrow-gauge railway that offers fun rides around the park during the summer (wait for the steam engine), while the most recent attraction is the spectacular Killesberg Tower, a 40-meter observation tower with excellent views of the park and its surroundings. If you're here in July, make sure to visit the Lichterfest Stuttgart, a festival where thousands of lanterns are used to decorate the park.
