Old habits die hard. When I used to live near the Sports Complex in Seoul, I never really appreciated it. The same goes to the Landesmuseum Württemberg/ Württemberg State Museum.
The museum is located inside Stuttgart’s “Altes Schloss” and was built in the 10th century and is the oldest surviving building in Stuttgart. Many German friends I know also haven’t been to the museum, although we walk pass it almost every time we meet. Habits.
스튜트가르트에서 가장 오래된 건물인 구궁전안에 자리잡고 있는 주립박물관. 이번에 스튜트카드로 관광객 행세하면서 들어갔는데 그냥 주립 박물관이겠지 하고 아무런 기대없이 갔다가 너무 좋아서 놀랐다.
The Eugen Gutmann Collection of Clocks is a very interesting exhibition held underground. It’s a bit hidden so it makes it feel you’re walking into a dungeon, but then it was easy to realize why they decided to have this exhibition all the way down there. The darker the room, the shinier the clocks. Mr. Gutmann was a German banker and was the man who introduced branch banks in Germany. He ran the Dresdner Bank in Berlin for over 40 years and during that time was able to accumulate many artworks, including clocks. This is the place to be if you like gold, shiny things and clocks. And the intricate details.
전세계의 미술품을 사들이는 취미였던 독일의 은행가 유겐 굿만의 시계 컬렉션도 이 박물관에서 찾을 수 있다. 감옥같은 느낌의 지하로 내려가면 볼 수 있는데 처음에는 아니 왜 이런 곳에서 시계 디스플레이를? 했는데 들어가보면 바로 이해가 된다.
A “zirkel” is a compass, a small instrument you use when you are drawing circles or arcs. The museum houses a lot of these small, yet innovative technical tools, including compasses, rulers and calculators. These small little gadgets that made a world of a difference in so many aspects; from mathematics, architecture, engineering to even art.
When people think of Germany or Germans, one of the words that may pop into their heads would be precision, functionality and technical. These aspects are not as obvious as people would think, but they do shine through occasionally. Take wrist watches, for example. Other brands, say from Switzerland or Italy, tend to have a fancier face, with stones, more color and gold/silver decorations. But German wristwatches are quite simple, very straight forward and relatively cleaner. I dug up an article I read a few years back, and although it’s been a while it was released (2012), it makes a point.
정확성을 강조하는 나라답게 이와 관련된 오래된 도구들이 많았다. 예를 들어 원을 그리는 컴퍼스, 자, 계산기 등등. 이때부터 이런걸 박스안에다가 넣어다닐 정도로 강조했다니.
사실 독일 혹은 독일인하면 정확성, 기능성 등을 생각하는데 생각보다 일상에서는 그렇게 쉽게 느끼지는 못한다. 가끔 느낀다면 바베큐를 하거나 파티를 할때 자기가 먹을 고기는 자기가 직접 사가야한다는것 정도? 하지만 조금 더 광범위한 시점에서 본다면 분명히 기능성, 정확성을 따지는 스타일은 다른 나라보다 훨씬 심한 편. 2012년에 읽었던 한 기사를 바탕으로 보면, 손목시계하면 스위스를 떠오르지만 사실 독일 손목시계도 만만치 않게 유명하고 비싼편. 스위스 시계 브랜드들은 조금 더 화려한 반면 독일 브랜드들은 심심할 정도로 깔끔하고 간단하다. 스타일보다는 기능을 중시한다는 독일 시계쟁이들의 주장.
For those who haven’t been but have been meaning to for the past three or thirty years, I highly recommend the museum. Family friendly, interior-, tech- and also very OCD-savvy.
- Landesmuseum Württemberg/ Württemberg State Museum (+49 711 89 535 111, Old Palace (Altes Schloss) Schillerplatz 6, 70173, Stuttgart) Admissions are 5.50 euro. You also have to pay 1 euro to take photos. They give you a little sticker to stick on your shirt or jacket and you are good to go.
All photos by rachelsanghee