Schnarrenberg

Schnarrenberg is a hill ridge in the north of Stuttgart, mostly within the Münster quarter. Its highest point reaches 316 metres above sea level. At the summit stands the Stuttgart Weather Office, a branch of the German Weather Service. The slopes are covered with vineyards that belong to local winegrowers. The ridge separates the Feuerbach valley from the Neckar valley. It forms part of the natural boundary between Münster and Zuffenhausen. The hill is known for the 272-metre-long Schnarrenberg railway tunnel. This double-tracked, electrified freight line links Stuttgart-Untertürkheim with Kornwestheim. Built in 1895, the tunnel was overhauled between 1999 and 2000. Its original brick masonry was replaced by a concrete shell during the work. The tunnel carries goods trains through the ridge every day. Visitors can walk along the vineyard paths that climb the slopes of Schnarrenberg. From the top there are wide views over the Stuttgart basin. The weather office itself is not open to the public. The hill is quiet, with few buildings except for the vineyards and the tunnel entrance. On clear days the view extends to the distant Swabian Jura.