The landmarks of Stuttgart are not limited to the presented 7 architectural sights. A curious traveler will find thousands of exciting places here. However, below we present the most impressive and striking architectural sights of Stuttgart, which should be noted at first - Old Castle, Stuttgart TV Tower, Stuttgart State Theatre, Planetarium Stuttgart, Mercedes-Benz Arena and many others. In this unusual virtual tour, you will see the photos and read the facts on each monument. But, most importantly, you will be able to fly over each landmark, and to see the whole architectural ensemble of Stuttgart in 3D format from the sky.
Old Castle, Stuttgart
Location on the map: 
Facts:
» 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’. 
Facts:» 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.
Stuttgart TV Tower, Stuttgart
Location on the map: Facts:
» The Stuttgart TV Tower was built in 1956 according to the design by Stuttgart engineer Professor Fritz Leonhardt. Facts:» 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.
Stuttgart State Theatre, Stuttgart
Location on the map: Facts:
» The Stuttgart State Theatre was built in 1912 on the site of the previous one that burnt down in 1902. Facts:» Since it was a royal court theatre, two buildings were erected – the Grosses Haus (Large House) and the Kleines Haus (Small House). The Grosses Haus hosted opera and ballet performances. The hall accommodated 1,400 spectators. Drama performances were staged in the Kleines Haus.
» During the Second World War, the Small Theatre was completely destroyed, while the Large Theatre was not damaged. A new drama house was built in 1962.
» A major reconstruction of the building took place in 1982-1984, as a result of which the original interior of the auditorium and foyer as well as the magnificent auditorium ceiling were restored.
» The Stuttgart State Theatre is an important opera centre in Germany. It was nominated as Opera House of the Year several times. World-famous opera singers such as Enrico Caruso, Placido Domingo, and others performed on the stage of the theatre.
» The theatre is sponsored by Porsche.
Planetarium Stuttgart, Stuttgart
Location on the map: Facts:
» The Carl Zeiss Planetarium was built in 1977 on the site of the one destroyed during wartime. Facts:» The building has an original roof. Instead of the usual hemisphere, there is a multi-step quadrangular shape that ends with a stylized plate.
» There are 227 seats in the planetarium hall that can change their position and inclination.
» Sessions are held using an optical projector manufactured by German engineer Carl Zeiss’s enterprise (Carl Zeiss Jena). Viewers see the night sky the way astronauts see it in low Earth orbit.
» Stuttgart’s planetarium is considered to be the most interactive and attractive star theatre. It uses electronic and laser technologies, television, and stereo speakers.
» The planetarium offers its visitors both educational and entertainment (musical performances) programmes.
Mercedes-Benz Arena, Stuttgart
Location on the map: Facts:
» The stadium was built in Stuttgart in the early 1930s according to Paul Bonatz’s design. It accommodated over 60,000 spectators. Facts:» It hosted several football matches of the FIFA World Cup (1974, 2006) and the 1988 UEFA European Football Championship.
» The Mercedes-Benz Arena got its current name after a 20-million-euro deal was signed with the automobile company.
» A solid dome hangs over the playing field. It can withstand a thousand kg of weight per square decimetre. The steel cables connecting the roof to the structure alone weigh about 420 tons.
» The stadium has two video walls. During the stadium reconstruction, 18 unexploded bombs, which remained after a raid during the Second World War, were found on the construction site.
» The football stadium has natural grass. The area of the field is 105x68 metres. The perimeter of the building is 35,000 square metres.
» The Stuttgart football club players use the field for training. Tennis tournaments are held on indoor courts.
» There is a car industry museum near the stadium. The 7-storey building looks like a scale model from the future.
» There are over a hundred vehicle exhibits on display. They represent different periods in the history of the plant.
Church of St . Leonard, Stuttgart
Facts: » St. Leonard’s Church was built in 1408 on the site of the chapel of St. Leonard, who lived in the 6th century.
» In 1466, it was expanded and rebuilt into a three-nave church.
» From 1841 to 1845, Gustav Benjamin Schwab, a famous theologian, preached in the church and attracted new parishioners with his sermons.
» The church remained unchanged until World War II. It was badly damaged during bombing. The temple was rebuilt in 1954.
» Johann Reuchlin, a philosopher, humanist, and legal adviser to the Württemberg rulers, is buried in the church. There’s a tombstone bearing the information about his life and activity.
» Near the church, there’s a crucifix made by Hans Seifer in 1501. This is a copy, and the real work is stored in the Stuttgart Hospital Church.
Friedrichsbau Variete, Stuttgart
Facts: » The Friedrichsbau Variety Theatre was built on the site of the former Friedrichsbau Theatre in 1994.
» The old theatre worked here from 1900 to 1944. But it was completely destroyed.
» The new theatre’s shows involve artists of different genres: acrobats, clowns, illusionists, magicians, dancers. All performances are accompanied by live music played by the Friedrichsbau orchestra.
» The idea to unite different genres of stage and circus art in one theatre belongs to director and circus founder Bernhard Paul.
» The stage is updated by famous painters four times a year.
» Entering the foyer, theatre visitors are offered champagne.
» The enchanting world of variety shows attracts travellers and those who love light theatre genres.
