Stuttgart
Capital of Baden-Wuerttemberg
A vibrant city with top-class art and culture, appealing leisure activities and fantastic shops, Stuttgart is at the centre of one of Germany's foremost economic regions. What's more, the people of Stuttgart really do know how to throw a party - the lively Stuttgart Beer Festival, the traditional Wine Festival and the atmospheric Stuttgart Christmas market are just three of its popular events.
Places of interest
A stroll through Stuttgart's city centre is like taking a journey back through the history of architecture, with masterpieces such as the medieval Old Palace, the baroque New Palace, the beautiful Art Nouveau market hall and the Bauhaus-style Weissenhof housing estate giving the city its distinctive feel.
The medieval Old Palace and the baroque New Palace
 Today the Old Palace stands on the site where Duke Luitolf of Swabia once grazed his horses - the name Stuttgart and the city's coat of arms come from the old German word Stutengarten meaning a stud. With its cloistered courtyard, the palace reflects the splendour of the former ducal town. Nowadays it is home to the Württemberg State Museum. Just a stone's throw away is the magnificent baroque building of the New Palace. Schlossplatz square with its 30 meter high column is the heart of the city and a popular meeting place.
Weissenhof housing estate
The Weissenhof housing estate, one of the most important examples of modernist architecture, was built in 1927. The leading architects of the time submitted their plans for model homes, built in the Bauhaus and Neues Bauen tradition, to be shown at the German Work Federation exhibition in Stuttgart .Eleven show homes built for the exhibition are still in existence and still occupied.
Art Nouveau Market Hall
One of the most attractive market halls in Germany, it was built as a food market and warehouse between 1912 and 1914 on the site of the old vegetable market hall. Every day, fresh flowers, fish, meat, vegetables and fruit, exotic produce and spices are on sale. There is a small restaurant on the first floor and a gallery from where there is a good view of the hustle and bustle of the market.
Suggested excursions
The countryside in the region around Stuttgart is delightfully diverse and excellent for walking and cycling. The Swabian forest or the three Kaiserberg hills are good regions to explore. Excursions to the former ducal town of Ludwigsburg with its baroque palace, the medieval town of Esslingen and the popular university town of Tübingen are also recommended.
 Ludwigsburg
The town's famous landmark and centerpiece is the magnificent baroque royal palace - venue for the Ludwigsburg Castle Palace Festival held in summer. The 'Favorite' summer residence and hunting lodge and Monrepos Lakeside Palace are close by. The Baroque in Bloom garden show in the palace grounds with its "fairy tale garden" is delightful. The town itself is associated with the poet Möricke and Friedrich Schiller.
(Esslingen am Neckar)
Nestling in the Neckar Valley with vineyards on every side, the former free imperial town of Esslingen is dominated by Hochwacht Castle. The town has a history stretching back more than 1,200 years, but it is racing into the 21st century. It boasts Germany's oldest row of half-timbered houses and in summer visitors can see the sights of the town from the romantic Neckar canals.
University town of Tübingen
Steep stone steps, narrow alleyways and pointed gables are the hallmarks of Tübing's old quarter leading up to Hohentübingen Castle. This Swabian university town combines the feel of a lovingly restored medieval town centre with the vibrancy of a youthful student town. |
