Stuttgart is the largest and capital city of the State of Baden-Wurttemberg in the south-western area of the Federal Republic of Germany. Home to an estimated urban population of 2.7 million, the city is one of the country’s major industrial centres and known worldwide as the centre of the automobile industry in Germany. Stuttgart also lies at the centre of the Stuttgart Metropolitan Region which encompasses a population of 5.3 million residents.
Located centrally within the state in the heart of one of Germany’s largest wine-growing regions, Stuttgart itself lies in a basin of a hilly region, nicknamed the ‘cauldron’, and is surrounded by many open areas making it one of the greenest urban areas in Europe. Largely destroyed during World War II due to its massive industrial output, the city today is now a new and modern, vibrant metropolis and although there are only a few historic buildings there are several museums, beautiful parks, gardens and fine squares, and a rich, cosmopolitan and diverse culture which makes any visit worthwhile. Home to several popular traditional festivals such as the colourful Spring Festival, the elegant Summer Festival, the beautifully illuminated Christmas Festival, the Wine Festival and the Beer Festival, Stuttgart offers great opportunities for enjoyment including evening entertainment from a variety of bars and nightclubs, cinemas and theatres making it easy for any visitor to have an enjoyable time!!
Considered to be the ‘Cradle of the Automobile’, Stuttgart’s most famous attractions are the sensational Mercedes-Benz Museum which displays over 150 vehicles and the Porsche Museum which displays over 80 vehicles. Both of these museums are housed in outstanding, architecturally designed buildings and attract thousands of visitors each year. For the ‘non-petrol heads’ among us the city has many other places of interest such as the Planetarium and Stuttgart’s fine museums which include the Wurttemberg State Museum which is housed in the 10th century Old Castle, or Altes Schloss, the Old and New State Galleries and the Art Museum. For sightseers there are also a few other places worth visiting such as the Television Tower which at 217 metres offers fantastic views over the city and, if the days are clear, views to the Black Forest and possibly the summits of the beautiful Alps!! Within the city is the 18th century New Castle, or Neues Schloss, which today houses government administrative offices and the Wilhelmspalais, the residence of the last King of Wurttemberg which now houses the Stuttgart Library. Just outside of town is the 18th century Schloss Solitude, which is an outstanding example of 18th century architectural design and the Residenzschloss Ludwigsburg, which was originally built in a forested area as a hunting lodge!! For families, the Wilhelma Zoological and Botanical Gardens which is home to 9,000 animals from 1,000 species is considered one of the most beautiful of its kind in Europe and attracts 1.8 million visitors each year making it the most popular destination in Baden-Wurttemberg.
If you are looking for a little more, then make your way to the SI Event Centre which is a unique concept in Europe and offers a complete leisure program of events from musical theatres, multiplex cinemas, casino, shopping, baths and sauna facilities, restaurants and beer garden. For a little local colour perhaps pay a visit to the Market Hall, which is housed in a beautiful art nouveau building of the early 20th century, or maybe take a wander down the Konigstrasse, Stuttgart’s main shopping street!!
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