Wilhelma Park: Stuttgart’s front garden

by Recep Peker Tanıtkan

Botanical and zoological gardens have a no less distinguished tradition in Europe’s major cities than national museums and opera houses. One of the greatest - and nearest examples - is the famous Wilhelma Park in Stuttgart, capital of the southern German state of Baden-Württemberg. Whether your interest is in plants, animals or history, the Park has plenty to offer. A visit could constitute the highlight of a family get-away this Autumn.

Polar bears and penguins at home in their icy waters; tropical birds flapping from tree to tree. All the world’s fauna – more than 1,000 species - on show in their natural habitats. The chamois pick out paths through craggy heights; the flamingos dance by the shore of a shallow lake. A vast park neatly divided into continents.

Stuttgart’s Wilhelma Park is the leading zoological garden in Germany and one of the most important on the zoo-loving continent of Europe. It features exemplary enclosures such as the modern ape house and bear compound, a walk-through aviary and a “hands-on” farm. In the famous coral aquarium, the lively colours of the sea creatures never cease to amaze.

The equally famous crocodile hall is still to come, though children may find the pick of the world’s monkeys more to their liking. The Park also contains the World’s first zoology museum. Here, many fossils are exhibited in addition to many species which still survive throughout the world. Needless to say, there are restaurants, cafes and social facilities to meet visitors’ every need.

The plant world

And yet this site is not, principally, a zoo. It started life as the private palace park and garden of King Wilhelm I of Württemberg. In 1837, the garden was enlarged through a project made by architecture Karl Ludwing, and turned into a botanic park. Its major attractions continue to include its famous orchid collection, its giant magnolias and its historic greenhouses with their 150 year-old camellias – not to mention the brilliant flower-beds and the hundreds of trees spread liberally about the grounds.

The monkeys, birds, reptiles and amphibians of the Amazon region inhabit an indoor forest of palms, mahogany, bromelias, mangroves and bananas. The Koi carp inhabit a pond decorated with some of the World’s largest water lilies, allegedly capable of supporting weights of up to 70 kilos. Inside the adjacent “Moorish Villa”, different sections are dedicated to ferns and tropical edible plants as well as to exotic birds and nocturnal animals.

Test of time

Besides the camellias and the Moorish Villa, the Spanish roses and orange trees of the original garden are indicative of a mid-nineteenth century penchant for Spain. The seeds of the zoo were sown in 1846, when Crown Prince Karl ordered veterinarian Olga Nikolajewna to build a shelter for animals in the park. Soon animals were arriving from every corner of the world.

As of 1853, Wilhelma became the first botanic and zoological garden in the world. Among the many guests entertained here were Napoleon III of France and Tsar Alexander of Russia. Further additions were made in 1918 and 1919. In 1944, allied bombing caused immense damage to the World’s largest and richest botanical and zoological centre. But the Park was restored between 1949 and 1961, and had largely taken on its current appearance by 1970.

Further attractions

Over two million people visit the Wilhelma Park every year. Nevertheless, it is far from Stuttgart’s sole attraction. Besides the gardens, the city offers boat trips on the nearby Neckar and top-flight exhibitions, musical performances and sports events. Just as the Park has collected specimens from all around the World, so the city has amassed a highly eclectic collection of castles, palaces, museums, civic and commercial buildings and houses in almost every style of architecture imaginable: classical, baroque, rococo, art-deco, new realist, international style, postmodern....

The hub of the German motor industry is an easy flight away from Turkey. October 22 is Stuttgart Culture Night, while the Jewish Culture Weeks and Stuttgart Christmas Market begin on November 7 and November 24 respectively. For those so inclined, the 160th Beer Festival is due to take place between September 24 and October 9.

(DIPLOMAT  -  September 2005  -  Ankara)