
As the needs of the population change, both public and private buildings are demolished. If they are too expensive to maintain or demolish, they are left to decay. And it is precisely then that lost places become a magnet for urban explorers or “Urbexers“. A growing number of photography and adventure enthusiasts who set off in search of mysterious places. Here are four lost places in Stuttgart (and the surrounding area) that continue to fascinate even experienced Urbexers.
But beware…
… because there are certain rules to follow when “urban exploring”:
- Don’t break in.
- Do not take any risks.
- No soiling or altering the place.
- Do not pass on specific addresses – to avoid vandalism and overcrowding.
And there are also exciting lost places in Stuttgart for all those brave enough to stick to the above rules.
1st bunker forest in Waldstetten
At the beginning of the Cold War, the US army built 28 bunkers in a forest near Waldstetten to store weapons, ammunition and for other unknown purposes. They were abandoned in the 1980s. Today, the forest is a nature reserve and the bunkers – walled up or damaged by landslides – are home to endangered bat species . The Waldstetten local history museum offers guided tours of the entire site.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVwEiraTioo
2nd Hotel Waldlust
There are probably very few people who don’t know the Grand Hotel Waldlust in Freudenstadt. Be it as a filming location for horror films or as the setting for the livestream event “Horrorcamp” – the hotel is the venue for a number of events. What was once a luxurious hotel with 140 suites in the middle of nature that welcomed both royalty and Hollywood stars is now a huge and impressive disused building. And thanks to the Freudenstadt Cultural Monuments Association, it is also a historically preserved place where you can even spend the night.
3rd farming village of Gruorn
Until the 1930s, Gruorn was a farming village with more than 700 years of history. This can be seen from the church and school, which are still standing, as well as the numerous ruins of individual houses, some of which have cellars. Two cement buildings, roads, anti-tank barriers and ammunition depots around the village bear witness to its later use as a military training area for the Reichswehr – you can discover all of this on a guided tour.

4. the Tübingen zoo
Tübingen is a city where pretty much every corner tells a story. This includes the Spitzberg: first home to the Ödenburg and, since the beginning of the 20th century, the Tübingen Zoo. From 1907 to 1919, polar bears, tigers, alligators and other species were kept at the zoo. They delighted the residents of nearby towns and apparently even King Wilhelm II. However, the zoo did not survive the First World War and over time the forest swallowed it up completely. Since then, only a single cage has remained.

We hope you have fun looking at the Lost Places in Stuttgart.