Wasen is one of Stuttgart’s most visited spots for its long-running festivals and its important role in German automotive design and manufacturing. See the large complex centered on Mercedes-Benz operations and attend two major festivals.
The nine levels of the sleek rounded triangle structure of the Mercedes-Benz Museum provide insights into the history of Mercedes-Benz since Carl Benz founded it in 1886. See the full range of technology from the world’s first patented automobile to the revolutionary concept of hydrogen-powered vehicles. Wear closed-toed shoes to join a factory tour of the Mercedes-Benz Werk Untertürkheim auto factory at the entrance to the auto works.
While the construction of all the automotive facilities in the neighborhood is relatively new, Neckar Park in Wasen has been a popular part of Stuttgart for many years as a public marketplace and festival site. Look for the semi-permanent Fruit Column, an 87-foot-tall (26-meter) tower decorated with local produce, which has been in place in varied form for 200 years.
Cannstatter Volksfest held its first festival here in 1818 during the reign of King Wilhelm I of Württemberg. In modern times, millions of people attend the 17-day event each fall. Enjoy the rides of the funfair, shop for goods at more than 50 vendor stalls, listen to live music, eat German snacks and drink beer. Get dressed in traditional clothing to fit in with locals. Watch costumed marching bands, militia members, horse-drawn beer wagons, decorated floats and the Wasenhasi rabbit mascot of the Volkfest parade along the route from Daimlerplatz in the Bad Cannstatt neighborhood to the festival site. The Stuttgart Spring Festival is a slightly smaller event that runs for three weeks in April.
Ride the S-Bahn, U-Bahn or bus from central Stuttgart to Wasen. Special service is added during the Cannstatter Volksfest. You may also arrive here in about 1 hour via a pleasant walk through the green spaces of the Oberer Schlossgarten, Mittlerer Schlossgarten and Unterer Schlossgarten.
