Carpatair Destinations: Stuttgart, The Vibrating City of South-Western Germany. Part 1
We continue today the journey through Carpatair destinations. The today’s post is about Stuttgart, the capital of the German automotive industry, known by some as the Mercedestadt ). However, there are so many other sights you can enjoy in Stuttgart, so, I hope this article will raise your interest to visit this German city !
When you say “Stuttgart”, you think of Mercedes, Porsche, Bosch, Leitz or Trumph, but also of culinary delights such as the tasty Spatzle (a kind of home-made pasta), Maultaschen (home-made pasta with a meat sauce, filled with meat or fish, cheese and vegetables), Laugenbrezeln (salted bagels baked in the oven) or – why not? – the friendly Trollinger red wine. Anyone starting out to discover Stuttgart can find it nicely located among hills covered in vineyards and forests, on a valley that seems to have been especially created for the city today, somewhere west of the Neckar River, a few kilometers away from the Black Forest Mountains and the source of the old Danube River.
Stuttgart offers at least 7 reasons for people searching their ideal destination for an active or relaxing vacation.
The First Stories of Stuttgart
The first historical attestation of the region goes back to the first half of the 10th century, due to a famous mare farm. The farm was founded by the Duke Luitolt of Schwaben. At the beginning of the 14th century, the royal family of Württemberg decided to establish their official residence here. 55 years ago, the union of the two lands, Baden Baden and Württemberg Hohenzollern generated a unique region, called Baden–Württemberg. Stuttgart is the capital of the Baden-Württemberg Land, ranking third in terms of area (3,5750 square kilometer) and population (10.5 million inhabitants) among the 16 lands of Germany.
Discover Stuttgart – The “Engine” of the German automotive industry: freedom of movement, innovative ideas, fascination, inspiration and legend.
Stuttgart became the ‘cradle’ of the German automotive industry due to Carl Benz and Ferdinand Porsche. In 1926, Mercedez-Benz started its automobile production in Stuttgart. Also important to this end was the contribution of Gottlieb Daimler – who designed the gasoline engine – and Robert Bosch – who invented the spark plugs. The sensational Mercedes- Benz Museum covers an impressive 17,000 square meters. With a height of 47.5 meters, the futuristic building of the museum, built according to the designs of the “UN Studio van Berkel & Bos” team in Amsterdam, has an inner structure divided into 9 levels. Visitors have access to five collection ‘chambers’ presenting the major themes of the Mercedes Benz philosophy along the years. In an attempt to present the 120 years of automotive industry, visitors are familiarized with the concepts and explanations regarding ‘the beginning’.
The first automobiles made man’s dream of ‘freedom’ (of movement) come true: due to the first car, anybody could travel anywhere, anytime. Collections exhibited in “The Hall of Transporters” and “The Hall of Travels” demonstrate the beginning of a new era in human history: mobility. A unique chronological presentation includes approximately 160 automobiles, starting with the oldest prototypes – from Gottlieb Daimler’s “engine carriage” and the patented engine car of Karl Benz, both made in 1886, to the latest customized automobiles and racers. Also included in the museum collections – and very impressive – are cars used by the Japanese Emperor Hirohito, King Wilhelm II and Princess Diana. The department of “Races and Records” covers approximately 1,600 square meters, presenting the most well-known racer models, that boast impressive records for the Benz-Mercedes brand. The department called “The Fascination of Technology” invites visitors to understand the research, design, development and manufacturing process of the Mercedes-Benz automobiles.
From here, visitors are led through a connection passage (very generous in terms of shops and cafeterias!) to the new Mercedes-Benz center, with a display of 130 models belonging to the new generation of design and technology.
The museum also includes a laboratory providing numerous workshops for the brand lovers and users, but also studios for designing, manufacturing and assembling cars by means of robots and industrial machines, as well as a service center. The Mercedes-Benz Complex (and Museum) in Stuttgart is virtually the only place in the world where the buyer of a Mercedes product can trace it on the conveyor belt, at any time during its manufacturing stages.
“Wilhelma” – The largest zoological and botanical garden of Europe
“Wilhelma” proudly stands in the heart of Stuttgart – the largest zoological and botanical garden of Europe, specially designed and created for King William I of Württemberg between 1837 and 1864. Its notoriety comes from a fascinating mixture between 10,000 species of animals and plants. One of the jewels of this park is the aquarium presenting in great detail the life of aquatic species and subspecies, as if in their original habitat. In “The House of Amazon”, tourists are guided through the valleys of Neckar, further reaching into the depths of the jungle. Another peculiarity of the park is the “Insectarium” where one can watch the ‘live’ metamorphosis stages of butterflies, as well as hundreds of insects from all over the world. Visitors have access to “Wilhelma” every day of the year.
The most modern Planetarium of Europe
Stuttgart also hosts the most modern planetarium of Europe. With its special regular programs, astronomy classes and permanent exhibitions, including paintings on cosmic topics, the Planetarium annually attracts more than 200, 000 visitors from all over the world.
Sights of Stuttgart
Brunnen Platz
Stuttgart, by the lake
Monrepos
About Carpatair
Founded in 1999, Carpatair is the largest regional airline in Eastern and South-Eastern Europe. From 2000, Carpatair has developed in Timisoara the most professional HUB in Romania, connecting 7 domestic and 14 international airports. Carpatair operates over 200 flights / week to 21 destinations in 5 countries.
