Tourists consider this city to be ideal. Cleanliness, comfort, loyalty to tradition, and at the same time a developed area of high technology - 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 9-10th centuries. Stuttgart was given the status of a city 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 bombings. In the post-war period, a lot of reconstruction 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 worth looking at here first.
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 the beautiful structure with towers became the residence of the Dukes of Württemberg. Currently, the castle is available for tourists to visit - it houses the Museum of the state of Baden-Württemberg.
Guests pay tribute to the delicate, lace-like façade and attractions of the courtyard. Here you can see a large bronze bell from the 16th century, a statue of Duke Eberhard. The museum has permanent expositions, which show archaeological finds, documents and photographs that tell about the history of the region. Outwardly, 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, was built in the second half of the 18th century as a new residence for the rulers of the Württemberg clan at the initiative of Duke Karl Eugene. He wanted to give his city a "second Versailles". The wings erected around the central building made it possible to form an enclosed courtyard.
The interior of the palace acquired an imperial style over time. It was within these walls that the man who was destined to become President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Richard von Weizsäcker, was born. Today the palace houses the Ministry of Education and Culture of the region. In addition, various events are held here - concerts, readings, gala 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, in the place that was formerly occupied by the Military Palace. Now famous architectural compositions are harmoniously combined here. The local park is also unusually beautiful. On the square you can see a large number of a club with fresh flowers and a 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 large 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 the Palace Square.
Schiller Square
At the end of the 16th century, it was decided to arrange the Palace Square. By order of Duke Frederick, the residential buildings between the Monastery Church and the Old Chancellery were demolished. Initially, it was exclusively a ducal territory, and only after a long time, at the beginning of the 20th century, ordinary townspeople could come here.
As a sign of this, a monument to Schiller, the singer of freedom, was erected here by the sculptor Torvaldsen in Munich. Now a flower market opens here three times a week, in August there are tents of the Wine Village, and in December - a Christmas market. The most picturesque Schiller Square looks like a flower decoration.
Solitude Palace
The palace was built in the middle of the 18th century by order of Duke Karl Eugene, who loved solitude. But still there were ceremonial receptions, which the Duke had to give from time to time. A straight street connected the palace with the Ludwigsburg castle. For a rather long period, a higher school operated in the palace, which was headed by Friedrich Schiller's father, Johann. At the end of the 20th century, the Solitude was restored, and today it houses an academy, exhibition halls, as well as "Villa Massimo", for gifted artists who receive scholarships.
Open from April to October - Tuesday to Sunday, 9 am to 12 pm and from 1.30 pm to 5 pm. From November to March - from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 am to 12 pm and from 1.30 pm to 4 pm.
Rosenstein palace
The palace was built during the reign of King William I in the early 19th century. It got its name from the beloved flower of Queen Catherine. The palace was built in a classical style. Tourists are greatly impressed by its pediments, decorated with scenes from Greek mythology.
King William died in this palace in 1864. Currently, the Museum of Natural History is located here. He works according to the following schedule: Tuesday-Friday from 9 to 17 hours, Saturday and Sunday from 10 to 18 hours.
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 at the beginning of the 18th century. It is made in the Baroque style. A magnificent park was laid out around the residence, which also houses buildings that house museums - for example, ceramics, theater, fashion. The residence is very popular, thousands of tourists visit it every year. The interior decoration of the palace has retained its historical flavor: furniture on which kings sat, carpets on which people walked, leaving their mark on history.
It was here in 1805 that Napoleon, Elector Frederick and Emperor Alexander met. 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 laid out. Here you can admire fairy-tale characters and ride old carousels. You only need to pay for the entrance to the park, the entertainment is free there.
The museums are open daily, from 10 am to 5 pm.
Monastery church
It is the symbol and the main Protestant church of the city. Construction began in the 10th century, and today it is the only building that has survived from the Hohenstaufen era. The best preserved is the semi-basement, typical of the Romanesque style. The external and internal appearance of the temple has changed over the centuries. The Roman basilica gave way to structures in the late Gothic style. A monument to Ulrich was erected inside.
Regular services in the church began to take place from the mid-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 1st century murals 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 Trade 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 thousand exhibits.
Today the museum is funded by the state. Also, numerous scientific events are held here - lectures, reports, etc.The museum is open: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm, Wednesday from 10 am to 8 pm, 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 company center and the arcade. Thomas, the building resembles a leaf of a clover, in the middle you can see a triangle-shaped platform. Tourists choose one of several excursion 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 development of vehicles - from carriages to racing cars.
In particular, 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 Mondays, from 9 am to 6 pm.
Porsche Museum
It opened relatively recently - in 2009. Its architectural solution is very unusual. It seems that huge exhibition halls are just floating in the air. This impression is created because the structures are supported by 3 concrete pillars. Moreover, they weigh the same 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 presented the models that were produced in the past years. The museum is open from 9 to 18 hours.
Pig Museum
Despite the prosaic name, this is a very interesting museum. The Germans are convinced that pigs bring happiness. It is not surprising that the residents 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 thousand toy pigs have found a home. They are made of different materials - there are glass pigs, there are porcelain, wooden, plastic pigs, made of fabric. All of them are located in 25 rooms of the museum.
The museum offers a wide 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 are thinking about the role of pigs in art or religion, they will tell you about this. The Pig Museum is included in the Guinness Book of Records. Open daily from 11 am to 7.30 pm.
State gallery
The State Art Gallery opened in the middle of the 19th century. Over time, the New Gallery was built according to the project 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 the past centuries: Rubens and Durer, Monet and Renoir, as well as many others. Sculptures and photographs are presented.
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 to 18 hours, on Thursdays from 10 to 21 hours, Monday is a day off.
Art museum
An unusual cube-shaped building located in the city center attracts the attention of tourists. This is the Museum of Art. The project was developed by the Hasher Yale architectural bureau. The total area of the museum is 5000 square meters. His pride is a gift from Count di Casanova, who donated his collection of paintings to the museum in the early 1920s. In total, about 15 thousand works of art are collected here.
Thanks to the wide staircase, guests of the museum can get into both the exhibition halls located above the earth's surface and into the underground room. The museum also has its own library. The Museum of Art is open every day of the week, except Monday from 10 am to 6 pm, and on Fridays until 9 pm.
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. It 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. Climbing to the highest, eighth floor, you can inspect the internal structure of buildings - countless shelves 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 accommodates a little more than 1400 people, during one season it manages to visit about 250,000 spectators. This opera house has gained 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 the Second World War.
Many operas by famous composers, which later received fame and recognition, were first presented to the audience here. More than once the creative team has been honored with the "Opera House of the Year" award. Artistic performances are recorded on discs and sold to opera and ballet lovers living in different countries of the world.
Königstrasse
Everyone knows Königstrasse, as it is the main street of the city. It starts at the train station and runs through the center. It is here that the largest number of shopping centers and company stores are located. Those who intend to visit Palace Square can hit the road along Königstrasse. And this is no coincidence. The street was founded in the 19th century by order of King Frederick the First. He wanted to turn humble Stuttgart into a city worthy of the ruling dynasty.
At the beginning of the Königstrasse, the Royal Gate and stables were located. 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, tram lines were moved underground. Since then, here is not only the local "Arbat", but also the venue for numerous city events. The most famous goods, famous brands of wine, 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. There is an observation deck at each of the levels, 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-50s of the last century. 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 a visiting card, and the world's first television tower made of concrete. It is still open for visits. Tourists can climb up to 152 m.
View the city from above and sit in the restaurant, which also offers panoramic views. And from here you can see not only the buildings of Stuttgart, but also the peaks of the Alps. It is better to book a table in advance by phone. The schedule of 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 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, there are also farm animals.
All animals are well-groomed and good-natured. It is also interesting to look at old sequoias, a whole grove of magnolias, orchids of amazing shape and color.The opening hours of the park depend on the season - it closes at nightfall, respectively, earlier in the cold season. To explore the park in the winter months, excursions must be booked in advance. Since the park is very large and it takes a lot of time to explore it, there is a restaurant and a cafe.
Today, the city is tacitly considered the automotive capital of Germany. It is no coincidence that such a large number of people visit the museums of the largest Mercedes-Benz and Porsche companies. But this city is also one of the major cultural centers. Ancient palaces, castles and churches, a large number of churches - speak about its rich history. While in Stuttgart, one cannot but visit its museums and art galleries, and young tourists will appreciate the zoo, botanical garden, and planetarium.
Theaters, numerous shops, restaurants and cafes await guests. The mild climate makes the stay in this old German city wonderful at any time of the year.
