Tour of the Stuttgart football stadium (Mercedes-Benz Arena Stuttgart)
The world of football is a world full of passion, camaraderie and countless exciting moments that remain etched in the fans' memories forever. The Mercedes-Benz Arena located in the pastoral city of Stuttgart is the hall of fame for the fans of the Stuttgart soccer team, "The Reds", who have remained loyal to the team since its founding in 1904 until today.
So let's go discover the Stuttgart football stadium, from its rich history, through the passion of the fans to the state-of-the-art facilities it offers to its visitors.
A look at history:
The Mercedes-Benz Arena has a rich and interesting history spanning almost a hundred years, during which the stadium witnessed important football matches alongside events that took place in the turbulent country.
The stadium was built in 1933, during the rise of the Nazi regime to power in Germany. In the beginning, the stadium was used for important sports events alongside political rallies and mass events. After the Second World War, the stadium was given a new name, and was called "Nekarstadion", after the river Neckar that flows near it. The period after World War II was the heyday of the stadium, which hosted many sporting events and gained a reputation as one of the leading sports stadiums in the country.
In the 1974 World Cup held in Germany, the stadium was chosen to host a number of unforgettable matches, and soccer fans from all over the world came to visit the stadium's walls.
In the early 2000s, a massive renovation was carried out in the outdated stadium, which included the addition of seating and modern facilities. Since that renovation, the athletic tracks were removed and the stadium became a soccer stadium only.
Throughout its years of operation, the stadium served as the home of the Stuttgart football team, and witnessed the sweet victories and painful losses of the old team's home games.
The iconic stadium currently holds 60,000 seats, and stands as the lasting legacy of the world of soccer in the city of Stuttgart and stands as a symbol of the city's commitment to innovation and progress. Its rich history adds another layer of meaning to every game held within its walls.
The soccer team VFB Stuttgart:
The football team VFB Stuttgart, officially known as Verein für Bewegungsspiele Stuttgart, is considered one of the oldest and most successful football clubs in Germany.
The Stuttgart club was founded as early as 1893, by a group of high school students, initially as a rugby club. In 1904, a football wing was opened for the small club and since then the club has shifted its focus to the world of football, a sport that was developing rapidly at that time.
During its decades of activity, the club accumulated achievements and historical moments, with more and less successful periods. The club's peak period (until this writing) was in the 80s until the 2000s, when the club won the title of the Bundesliga, the top soccer league in Germany, in 1984, 1992 and 2007, alongside the title of Bundesliga runner-up which they won several times. Also in the "German Cup" tournament, the second most important tournament after the Bundesliga tournament, the team won three times in history.
Stuttgart Football Club is known for its youth football development programs, and has built a reputation over the years as a club that produces quality players who go on to top clubs around the world. Players like Sami Khedira, Serge Gnabry, Timo Werner and Joshua Kimmich all came from Stuttgart's youth academy.
If you attend one of the team's games, you will surely get to meet the club's mascot, Fritzl, a beloved crocodile character that has been considered the club's favorite symbol since 1992.
In recent years, the Stuttgart football club has experienced ups and downs, including relegations and promotions between the top Bundesliga and Germany's second division. Despite the challenges that befell and still befell the club, it manages to maintain a loyal and enthusiastic fan base and continues to be an essential part of the German football scene.
Guided tour of the Stuttgart football stadium
A tour of the Stuttgart football stadium is a powerful and unforgettable experience, which will take you to discover the world of the Stuttgart football team behind the scenes. The tour allows you to see areas that are closed to the public on match days, as well as learn about the rich history of the football club VfB Stuttgart and its home stadium.
When you arrive at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, you will be greeted by a friendly professional guide who will give you an overview of the tour you will go through along with an overview of the history of the stadium. During the review you will also hear interesting details about the Stuttgart football club that calls the stadium home.
After the explanation, the walking tour begins, where you will visit the impressive stadium walls. During the tour, you will visit the stands of the stadium, from which you can look at the field from different perspectives and imagine the atmosphere during game moments when the stands are filled with tens of thousands of enthusiastic fans.
The tour also includes places that are usually closed to the public, such as the players' locker rooms, where the team prepares for games, and the press rooms, where post-game interviews are held with the team's players and their coach.
For many visitors the highlight of the tour is the walk through the players' tunnel towards the pitch. In this exciting moment, you can imagine the excitement and anticipation that the team's players feel as they step from their dressing rooms onto the pitch.
During the tour you will also reach the observation deck, where you will get to see a great view of the city and the team's training grounds.
A tour of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium is intended for football fans, but not only. This is a wonderful opportunity to go on a tour of a modern architectural wonder, understand and learn how a major sports venue works, and hear about the important role that soccer plays in local culture and history.
Stuttgart stadium tour - important to know:
The tour of the stadium is a guided tour in English, which lasts about an hour and a half.
You must arrive at the entrance gate about 15 minutes before the start of the tour to ensure the start of the tour on time.
Location: The stadium is located in the Bad Cannstatt district in the east of the city of Stuttgart.
Arrival outside Stuttgart: You can easily reach the nearby German cities by train to Stuttgart Central Station, and from there the S-Bahn line to the stadium.
The tour tickets must be ordered in advance.
In conclusion, a tour of the Stuttgart football stadium is a unique and fascinating tour, which will take you into the world of an old and successful football team in the German league. The tour will expose you to the history of the club alongside the history of the old stadium, and will provide you with an hour and a half of enriching and enjoyable entertainment.
