Stuttgart - the exciting metropolis in southern Germany

Charmingly situated in the heart of one of Germany's largest wine-growing regions, this vibrant metropolis fascinates visitors from all over the world. The state capital of Baden-Württemberg delights tourists not only by virtue of its magnificent panorama, its impressive gardens and parks, its fine squares, splendid palaces and buildings in a wide range of architectural styles, but also by its cultural diversity.

A big draw for visitors to Stuttgart is the sensational Mercedes-Benz World. On a total area of approx. 17.000 sq.m. the Mercedes-Benz Museum shows around 160 vehicles on permanent display, including not only the earliest models but also the latest series production vehicles. Autumn 2008 will also see the opening of another spectacular museum by Porsche, showing more than 80 serial vehicles, prototypes and racing cars.

Stuttgart's traditional festivals also enjoy world-wide popularity: the great Stuttgart Spring Festival, the elegant Summer Festival whose white pavilions, countless fairy lights and lanterns make it one of Germany's most delightful city festivals, and the Stuttgart Wine Village with some 120 lovingly decorated wine arbours. At the end of September things really heat up during the Stuttgart Beer Festival. Its numerous fairground attractions and the vast beer tents holding up to 5.000 visitors make it one of the world's biggest and best beer festivals. During the weeks of Advent, the Stuttgart Christmas Market opens its doors to visitors.

The magnificent castles and palaces, historic towns and splendid vine - yards in the Stuttgart region entice visitors to enjoy wonderful walks, cycle tours and boat trips on the River Neckar and the many idyllic lakes.

Typical Stuttgart

What is typical of Stuttgart? Cars: most people say Mercedes and Porsche, and wine, which is of course true. Stuttgart is renowned for its cars and its wine. After some thought, someone is bound to mention all the city's parks, from which Stuttgart has gained its reputation as the "city between forest and vineyards". Some may wish to add, perhaps from their own (painful?) experience: the "Stäffele"! The need for these flights of steps, which are known as "Stäffele", arises owing to Stuttgart's valley location: they make all the ups and downs easier for pedestrians.

Although Stuttgart is not on the waterfront, it certainly lies "on" the water!! It boasts the largest mineral water deposits in Europe after Budapest, as witnessed by the fact that there are well over 250 springs within the urban area.

Places of interest

The writer Eduard Mörike had a soft spot for Stuttgart and waxed lyrical in 1853 in his book "Stuttgarter Hutzelmännlein" about beautiful old houses and their oriels, "which stand on corners serenely as towers". Despite bombing raids and extensive devastation during the Second World War Stuttgart is full of architectural gems. The "City between forests and vines", as it was once referred to in an advertising slogan, is in fact well worth seeing and exploring.

Stuttgart is the name the Swabians gave to the paradise on earth, as the humanist Ulrich von Hutten wrote in 1519. Perhaps it was because of the vineyards, the many parks and forests? Or perhaps it was due to the Mediterranean flair of the squares and city quarters? The trick is to disclose the secret and explore the "Swabian Paradise".

City history

Stuttgart started out on a small scale: tradition tells us that Herzog Liudolf von Schwaben started a stud farm in a widened area of the Nesenbach valley in the year 950 AD.

In 1812, Stuttgart was the Royal capital and city of residence. For centuries, the settlement that evolved was overshadowed by Cannstatt, the site of the largest and most important Roman castle in the central Neckar area. The Margraves of Baden, who were the competitors of the Counts and later Dukes of Württemberg to the West, promoted it to the status of a city in the first half of the 13th Century. In the 14th Century, it became the centre of the Dukedom of Württemberg.

Despite heavy destruction, in particular during the Second World War, the city's history is clearly evident even in the modern Stuttgart. Architecturally speaking, this can clearly be seen in the Schillerplatz with the Old Castle, which together form a Renaissance ensemble, the Baroque New Castle, as the residence of the Dukes and later the Kings of Württemberg, and Neo-Classical buildings such as the Königsbau.

The Stuttgart City Archive collects information about the city's history. It acts as the "City historical centre", which records and evaluates all the City Council documents, and makes them accessible to the city's population and for research, rather like a "city memorial". It passes on the history of Stuttgart, through its own research, publications, conferences, lectures and exhibitions.

The State Capital is planning to create a City Museum in order to bring the city's history to life more vividly. When the City Library moves out in a few years, the Museum will be housed in the Wilhelms Palace.

Website Stuttgart

If you want to know more about stuttgart, klick here.