Culture of Stuttgart. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

» The construction of the New Palace was initiated by Duke Charles Eugene of Württemberg who intended to turn Stuttgart into the French Versailles. It began to be built in 1746 by Italian architect Matteo Retti. Five years later, he was replaced by French architect Philippe de La Guêpière.
» It took a long time to erect the palace, and the construction was ceased several times. The building was completed in 1807 just by the arrival of Emperor Paul I and his wife Maria Feodorovna (Sophie of Württemberg), Charles Eugene of Württemberg’s niece.
» Before the First World War, the palace was the residence of the dukes and kings of Württemberg. After the war and revolution, the building became a museum.
» In 1944, Stuttgart was heavily bombed. Only the walls of the palace remained intact.
» While voting, there was one vote more for the decision to restore the palace than against it, so it was rebuilt in 1964.
» Today the Parliament of Baden-Württemberg works here. But guided tours are held in some rooms where the wealth and luxury of imperial residences can be seen.

» The Old Castle has a very long history that dates back to the 5th century. It was a fortress that protected a stud farm. The name of the city derives from ‘Stuotengarten’ translated as ‘Mare Garden’.
» Several centuries later, the fortress was turned into a beautiful castle with towers, which became the residence of the rulers of Baden-Württemberg. The Old Castle lost its significance when Duke Charles Eugene of Württemberg decided to build the New Palace.
» In 1869, King William I opened a museum in the ancient castle. There are a huge bronze bell (1550) and an equestrian statue of Eberhard the Bearded, the first Duke of Württemberg (1859), in the courtyard. The castle church has the burial place of King Charles I and Queen Olga.
» Since the castle was destroyed during bombing in 1944, the recovery took longer and lasted until 1971.
» Today the museum has a Kunstkammer containing rare unique objects and the famous tomb of Celtic Prince of Hochdorf. Children can go on a fascinating tour around time, during which they can become a blacksmith, a builder and shoot a bow.

» The Mercedes-Benz Museum dates back to 1936. It was located on the territory of the plant itself.
» In 1961, a new museum building was constructed and opened by the 75th anniversary of the car invention.
» In 1985, the building was reconstructed to expand the exhibition area. The area of the museum was increased to 5,760 square metres.
» In 2000, the company decided to build a museum complex. It was inaugurated in 2006.
» The new building has a modern futuristic design. The internal design in the form of a DNA helix looks original as well. Museum tours are held around both helices simultaneously.
» Visitors are offered two routes: myth rooms and collections. The first route covers the 125-year history of the Mercedes-Benz brand, while the second one demonstrates various types of cars: production, freight, sports cars.
» The exhibition of old cars is of interest: the legendary Daimler of 1886, limousines owned by Kaiser Wilhelm, Konrad Adenauer, and Japanese Emperor Hirohito. Museum visitors can use an audio guide available in several languages.

» The Stuttgart TV Tower was built in 1956 according to the design by Stuttgart engineer Professor Fritz Leonhardt.
» It was the first tower in the world made completely of concrete. Its structure resembles bamboo. The tower has horizontal partitions that make it more secure.
» The tower together with its antennas is 217 metres tall. There are two observation decks at a height of 150 and 153.5 metres that have a wonderful view of the German, Austrian, and Swiss Alps’ peaks. There is a panoramic cafe in the tower basket.
» In 2009, the city municipality added the TV tower to the list of monuments as an architectural and engineering masterpiece.
» From 2013 to 2016, the tower was closed for repairs because of a crack on its surface. The tower opened its viewing platforms for tourists again by its 60th anniversary.

Location on the map:   Facts: » The monastery church is the oldest building in the city. It dates from the 10th century.
» In 1240, the church had three large naves and two towers, which was not typical of that time.
» In 1265, Ulrich I, Count of Württemberg, and his wife Agnes von Schlesien-Liegnitz were buried in the church. Since then, entire generations of the rulers of Baden-Württemberg (until 1819) have been resting here.
» Numerous reconstructions created a couple of interesting features in the appearance of the church. For example, its towers and chapels are of different size and height.
» It was completely destroyed during the 1944 bombing and then restored according to archival drawings. Only the basement floor of the south tower has been preserved since 1175.
» The old organ that is still being played today and fills the whole church with its sound was restored. The frescoes and original interior items that had been adorning the walls of the temple for many centuries couldn’t be restored.