This latest update invites Microsoft Flight Simulator aviators to experience the allure of the cities of southwest Germany’s Baden-Württemberg state.
Southwest Germany is the latest exciting enhancement to Microsoft Flight Simulator’s immersive global experience with City Update 06. This update focuses on the Southwest German state of Baden-Württemberg, the nation’s third largest state in both population and area. The Microsoft Flight Simulator team and its partners selected seven cities that best represent this diverse and vibrant region of Europe: Mannheim, Heidelberg, Karlsruhe, Stuttgart, Esslingen, and Kehl in Germany, and the French city of Strasbourg, which lies just across the border from Kehl. The update also features Friedrichshafen Airport, Baden-Württemberg’s third largest airport.
Baden-Württemberg is one of Europe’s most geographically diverse regions. The state encompasses the famed Black Forest, rivers such as the Rhine, the Danube (including its source), and the Neckar, several lakes including Lake Constance, and rich farmland and vineyards. Its cities rank as some of the most prosperous and vibrant in all of Europe and include a juxtaposition of modern architectural marvels and centuries-old historic monuments.
The carefully selected cities of City Update 06 have been recreated using the latest high resolution aerial imagery and feature high fidelity TIN (triangulated irregular network) surface modeling.
In detail, from north to south:
Mannheim
Mannheim is located at the confluence of the Rhine and Neckar rivers at the far northern end of the state. The city, the second most populous in Baden-Württemberg, is an important center of culture, education, and commerce, and boasts 23 universities and 30 research institutions. The Mannheim region is the location of the development of some of the modern world’s most important inventions. These include the bicycle, the modern production automobile (Benz Patent Motor Car), and the first rocket-powered aircraft (Opel RAK.1).
Sights abound from the air over Mannheim, including the Mannheim Water Tower, the Mannheim Baroque Palace, and Fernmeldeturm Mannheim, a telecommunications tower.
Heidelberg
Heidelberg is located eleven miles southeast of Mannheim along the banks of the Neckar River. It lies at the southwestern edge of the Odenwald mountain range on the eastern edge of the Upper Rhine Plain. The city is internationally recognized as a center of education and is home to Heidelberg University, Germany’s oldest university, founded in 1386, and one of the world’s most celebrated. The city is also home to several research facilities, including four Max Planck Institutes. Heidelberg is also famous for the arts, notably literature.
Heidelberg features several stunning architectural feats like Heidelberg Castle, Church of the Holy Spirit, and Old Bridge Heidelberg.
Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe is located along the Rhine on the northern edge of the Black Forest near the French border. It is the seat of the German Federal Constitutional Court and the Federal Court of Justice. The city, the third most populous in Baden-Württemberg, has a unique layout comprising 32 streets radiating from a central palace tower that resembles a fan from above.
Set amid the stunning surroundings of the Black Forest and the Rhine, Karlsruhe is also home to some unforgettable architectural creations. These include the Karlsruhe Palace, Karlsruhe Botanical Gardens, and the State Museum of Baden.
Stuttgart
Stuttgart, the capital of Baden-Württemberg and the most populous city is located near the middle of Baden-Württemberg along the Neckar River amid expansive plains, low hills, and swaths of forest. The city is a renowned center for the automotive industry and is home to the headquarters of Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, and several other industry giants. The city is also a global center of science and academic research and boasts eleven universities.
Stuttgart offers incredible vistas from the air like the New Palace, MHPArena, and the Stuttgart TV Tower.
Esslingen
Esslingen is located seven miles to the south of Stuttgart along the Neckar River. Rich in history, the city dates to at least the Roman Empire. Esslingen began to flourish in the early Middle Ages and witnessed extensive expansion.
Surrounded by forested hills and vineyards, Esslingen is one of the most picturesque cities in Germany. It is home to hundreds of historic buildings including Esslinger Castle, the Inner Bridge, and Church of Our Lady.
Kehl and Strasbourg, France
Kehl, the small town in western Baden-Württemberg on the Rhine River, lies on the Germany-France border and neighbors the larger French city of Strasbourg. With the Black Forest to its east and patchworks of agricultural fields to its north and south, the sights abound from above Kehl. Strasbourg and Kehl have strong historic ties. Strasbourg incorporated Kehl in 1678 and transformed it into a fortress. The ties endured the subsequent centuries and the two remain intimately related.
Strasbourg is a major international city and the seat of several important European institutions, including the European Parliament, the European Ombudsman of the European Union, and Eurocorps. Incredible sights throughout Strasbourg including the Strasbourg Cathedral, Place Kléber, and the Strasbourg Opera House.
Friedrichshafen Airport (EDNY)
Friedrichshafen Airport (EDNY), also called Bodensee Airport Friedrichshafen, is an international facility located on the northeastern periphery of the German city of Friedrichshafen that lies less than two miles inland of the north shore of Lake Constance (Bodensee), one of Europe’s largest lakes.
Friedrichshafen is world renowned as one of the most important cities in the history of aviation. German airship pioneer Ferdinand von Zeppelin’s LZ 1, the world’s first successful rigid airship, took to the sky from a floating hangar on nearby Lake Constance in July of 1900. In 1908, von Zeppelin founded Luftschiffbau Zeppelin (Zeppelin Airship Company) in Friedrichshafen. The company manufactured a long line of well-known Zeppelin airships, including LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin. In addition, several other companies with aviation roots based their operations in Friedrichshafen, including ZF Friedrichshafen, Maybach, and Dornier, known for iconic flying boats including the Dornier Do J Wal and the Dornier Do X. In 1915, an airfield was established in Friedrichshafen as a base for airships and one of Germany’s first airplane runways was constructed in 1918.
Friedrichshafen Airport is adjacent to the location of the annual AERO Friedrichshafen, one of Europe’s key general aviation conventions. The airport was hand reproduced for Microsoft Flight Simulator by iniBuilds to celebrate the launch of this update.
City Update 06: Southwest Germany is available FREE to all Microsoft Flight Simulator simmers. Ensure that your simulator is running version 1.36.2.0 (or a more recent version), download City Update 06, and explore the incredible sights of Baden-Württemberg’s cities!
Microsoft Flight Simulator is available for Xbox Series X|S and PC with Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, Windows, and Steam, and on Xbox One and supported mobile phones, tablets, and lower-spec PCs via Xbox Cloud Gaming. For the latest information on Microsoft Flight Simulator, stay tuned to @MSFSOfficial on X (formerly Twitter).