As Stuttgart is located in a valley, there are many great viewpoints all around the city center. One of them is Birkenkopf in Stuttgart-West. However, this is not a normal hill but one with a very interesting history…

When locals talk about Birkenkopf, they usually refer to this hill “Monte Scherbelino”. Sounds Italian, right? But it’s not, it’s “fake Italian” and could be translated to “Mount Debris”. And when you walk all the way up to the top of Birkenkopf aka Monte Scherbelino, you might get an idea where that name comes from: the higher you climb, the more pieces of broken facades of houses you see next to the path. Strange, right?

In the years between 1953 and 1957 around 15,000,000 cubic metres of debris were deposited on top of Birkenkopf, making it rise 40 meters. This debris stems from the ruins of buildings that were destroyed during World War II in Stuttgart. This makes this hill not only a beautiful viewpoint but also a memorial for the destructive power of wars.

You can also visit masses up there. For more information and dates visit www.kirche-im-gruenen.de/orte/birkenkopf-monte-scherbelino/