[Apr. 2025] On the day we arrived in Stuttgart, Germany, we checked into the hotel and took a rest.
It was already evening, so I thought that was all for today.
However, I found out that the library, one of the attractions, was open until 9pm, so we decided to head there.
As it turned out, this was a very good choice.
First, we asked the hotel staff how to get there, and they looked it up and printed out the train timetable for us.
By the way, we stayed at the Radisson Park Inn.
The room was bleak, but it was spacious enough and there were no noticeable problems.
The nearest Marienplatz station is quite large, and both the tram and the underground trains run through it, so we were a little confused, but in the end we bought a one-day pass for €6.60 per person and was able to get on the U14 train that we had been taught.
I will write about the traffic situation in this city later.
We changed to the U7 at Charlottenplatz station and were able to get to Stadtbibliothek smoothly.
That was fine, but when we left the station, we couldn’t immediately tell which building was the library, so we ended up walking around the building while looking at Google Maps.
In the end, we found the entrance close to the station and went in.
I’m glad we did.
This is a building that’s really worth seeing at least once.
It’s a very modern, white, cubic building, and very stylish.
This library is the polar opposite of the Palatine Library in Parma, which we visited a few weeks ago, where you can feel the weight of history.
The information desk handed us a red card and said, “If you take a photo, please write it on this card and wear it so that it’s visible,” so I wrote my name and the date on it and wore it on my chest.
As she recommended, we went up to the top floor, the 8th floor, and gradually went down from there.
There is an atrium in the middle, and the stairs are well placed.
This library was designed by Korean architect Eun-young Yi and opened in October 2011.
According to online information, the building was designed to respect the quietness and emphasize the coldness to create a “meditative space.”
When I showed a photo I took here to an acquaintance, he commented that it “gives a sacred feeling, like being in a cathedral of knowledge that transcends humanity.”
It’s perfect for people who find minimalist spaces relaxing, but for people like me who like cluttered, warm spaces, it’s just a tourist attraction.
If I am to read a book here, I’ll probably want to go to the bathroom often.
Going down the stairs one floor at a time, we found a floor with foreign books, and Japanese books were there as well.
As usual, there were popular books by Murakami Haruki and others, but there was also a book with the title “”If you’re looking for something, head to the library.” prominently displayed, which I thought was quite appropriate.
This library apparently has over 500,000 books.
It’s a municipal library, so admission is free.
The area around the library seems to be a developing area, and there were some interesting and unusual buildings that stood out.
