Landscaped steps in Scharnhauser Park 1,050 metres long and 40 metres wide, the broad, landscaped steps at Scharnhauser Park link together the different areas of the suburb. They create a kind of town centre and offer wide-ranging views over the hills of the Swabian Alb. Tall oaks line both sides of the steps as they drop 48 times down the southern slope. The steps also collect rainwater and act as a flood retention area by temporarily holding some of the high water. From 17 September to 9 October, the »Ascents« light art festival will enable visitors to discover flights of steps, vantage points, Stuttgart’s famous »Stäffele«steps, towers and other ascents from a new perspective. The festival‘s curator, Joachim Fleischer, has invited more than 40 artists from 10 different countries to draw inspiration from the many different places of ascent in the region. All these unique installations can be viewed every day from 8 pm to 12 midnight in 25 different towns and cities.