The (lit. 'automobile city') is a visitor attraction adjacent to the Wolfsburg Volkswagen Plant in Wolfsburg, Germany, with a prime focus on automobiles. The complex was designed by Henn GmbH.[1]
It features a museum, feature pavilions for the principal automobile brands in the Volkswagen Group, a customer centre where customers can pick up new cars, and take a tour through the factory, a guide to the evolution of roads, and cinema in a large sphere.
History
The idea for was started in 1994 when the concept of documenting the stages of production of Volkswagen vehicles and how the company's operations were showcased at Expo 2000 in Hanover, Germany. In 1998, broke ground on the former site of a fuel company bordering Volkswagen's Wolfsburg production plant. Like the adjacent car plant, the site of is on the north bank of the Mittelland Canal. The resulting complex is the work of more than 400 architects, created as a new urban center, close to downtown Wolfsburg.
The main pavilion opened in May 2000, providing an opportunity to present famous cars hitherto locked in crates to be shown to the public. By that time it was reported that Volkswagen had invested approximately 850 million Deutsche Mark, equivalent to €million in, in the project.[2] is located next to Volkswagen's main factory which is also an attraction. Every Volkswagen model is available giving the opportunity for the public to choose what they want. Volkswagen then manufactures the car specified according to the purchaser's requirements.
Visitors and attractions
attracts around 2 million visitors a year. It is very popular because of the ultra modern architecture it features in each building. Extensive use is made of water and vegetation between the pavilions and mounds of earth covered in grass are located in the grounds. Modern design is not just incorporated into the pavilions but also into the furniture such as benches and chairs.
It has a small track for the off-road Volkswagen Touareg underneath the bridge which leads from the main town to the which is located above the main canal cutting through the city, the Mittelland Canal. Visitors must be able to show driving licences before being able to drive the vehicles. First, the guide drives the car around the track showing the features of the vehicle and giving information of the vehicle's capabilities. After driving around the track, the visitor can then drive around the track under the surveillance of the guide, who sits in the passenger seat. Any other passengers sit in the back. Features of the track include a 21 degree angled hill, another hill which is angled on the side, a water hazard, a sand pit which is located under a road bridge, a log road and a numerous small mounds which allow one wheel to be raised off the ground.
There is a mini track for children where they can drive small electric cars in the form of Volkswagen Beetles.
has a large variety of multimedia activities and devices which include car design software. There is a room exhibiting the advantages and disadvantages different fuels have on the performance of cars. There are two cinemas which show small films in German. One of these cinemas is located in its own purpose-built buildings and is in a large sphere.
Pavilions at Autostadt
There are seven pavilions dedicated to car manufacturers at.
Volkswagen production and development
There are two pavilions for Volkswagen[4] which show production and the development of cars.
The Volkswagen development pavilion is the largest in ground area of all pavilions at. The pavilion is circular in shape and has two floors which display all models in the Volkswagen range plus a shop of Volkswagen articles of clothing, die cast models and vehicle accessories which is located on the top floor.
The production pavilion is the smallest and one of the last of the pavilions to be constructed. It was not included on the original render of.
Porsche
The Porsche pavilion is circular-shaped, the interior design is simple yet elegant.[5] The visitors enter on a descending curved corridor entering the only hall of the pavilion.
See also
- August Horch Museum Zwickau
- AutoMuseum Volkswagen
- List of automobile museums
- Museum mobile
External links
References
- VW Autotürme Henn, n.d., retrieved 2025-01-07^
- Henning Krogh. Neuer Dreh. Manche Werks-Museen sind miefig, viel High-Tech Shows steril. [Aber].... Auto, Motor und Sport, 2000-12-13^
- Car Towers Autostadt, Volkswagen AG^