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WILHELMA
PARK ZOO - STUTTGART
Alhambra on the Neckar
King Wilhelm I of
Wurttemberg thought a royal gardens and bath house would be the perfect
addition to his Rosenstein Palace, with a view
of the Neckar River where it made a wide curve, north of the old city.
In the mid-19th Century Moorish architecture was all the rage among
the European ruling society, so Wilhelm commanded his architect Karl
Ludwig Zanth to design his park in the style of the Alhambra in Spain,
giving his park the official name of Wilhelma, but known as the Alhambra
on the Neckar. The park first opened in 1846, but due to money concerns,
Wilhelm’s ambitious original plan was never fully realized. After
two wars and the end of monarchy, the park and its royal buildings
were turned into a public park and zoo. Heavily damaged in the bombing
of Stuttgart in WWII, the zoo was later expanded over the years into
one of the largest collections of species in the world. The older part
of the zoo across from the river where Neckar cruises depart retains
its original Moorish style.
The Moorish
Villa, which was the king's getaway residence is now home to a combined
animal and plant house. The overed walkway lead from
the villa to the royal grand Banqueting Hall, now gone replaced by
the current Aquarium with the Crocodile Hall. The other direction lead
to the Wilhelma Theater, where royal parties were entertained on summer
evenings. Other original buildings that have survived are the Belvedere
Pavilion above the Sub Tropics Terraces, and the Damascene Hall, an
early aviary. The Giraffe House and other building maintain the Moorish
style in later additions, while the botanical enclosures are more modern.
The Wilhelma Park Zoo now takes up 70 with the flat lower section of
animal houses around the park grounds, with an upper section on the
hillside above.
The Wilhema Park
is both zoo and botanical garden, the only one in Germany. Albert
Schöchle, who was the Head of the State Gardens
at Ludwigsburg Palace (see Baroque Garden Palace Ludwigsburg) plotted
the flowering of the gardens at Wilhelma, influencing the development
of its botanical collections in the greenhouses. Among the zoo’s
animal offerings, Wilhelma is perhaps best known for its Gorilla House,
featuring four varieties of great apes, with baby Gorillas especially
entertaining to the offspring of human visitors. Wilhelma is home to
the playful polar bear Wilbar, an extensive aquarium and large animals
from the African steppes, giraffes, lions, elephants, penguins and
butterflies.
Visiting Wilhelma
The
Wilhelma Park Zoo is open every day. The gates open at 8:15 am and
close at
different
times, depending on the time of year. The Wilhema
Park is easily reached by city bus from central Stuttgart or by car,
just follow the signs with an elephant, to the underground car park.
Admission is 12€ for adults, 6€ for children and students,
with a family ticket for 18€. There is a discount ticket for late
entry after 4pm. The ticket office closes at 4pm, and the late entry
tickets are available from automated ticket machines. Many of the exhibits
are in indoor enclosures with linked walkways so can be enjoyed in
inclement weather, though the gardens may be a
bit less impressive in the wet. Some special behind the scenes tours
are available for an extra charge. © Bargain
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Wilhelma
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See Also:
MERCEDES BENZ MUSEUM STUTTGART
WILHELMSBAU MUSEUM MUSIC BOXES
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