Stuttgart

Stuttgart is the capital and largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It sits on the Neckar river in a green valley. The city is known for its beautiful hills, valleys, and parks. Stuttgart has more than 600,000 people. It is the sixth largest city in Germany.

Stuttgart is famous for cars. It is called the “cradle of the automobile.” Big car brands like Mercedes-Benz and Porsche started here. People can visit car museums and see many tourists each year. The city has a long history and is now an important place for business, money, and travel in Europe.

Etymology

Stuttgart is called the "Schwabenmetropole" (English: Swabian metropolis) because it is in the center of Swabia. The city's name comes from an old German word, Stuotgarten, which means "stud farm". It was founded in 950 AD by Duke Liudolf of Swabia.

In some local dialects, Stuttgart is pronounced "Schtuegert" or "Stuagart".

History

Main article: History of Stuttgart

For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Stuttgart.

Stuttgart has a long history that goes back to ancient times. The important place in the Neckar river valley was once Bad Cannstatt, where the Romans built a fort around 90 AD. After the Romans left, the area was settled by the Alamanni and became part of different duchies and kingdoms, like the Duchy of Swabia and the Duchy of Württemberg.

During the Middle Ages, Stuttgart grew from a small village into a bigger town. It became the capital of the County of Württemberg in the late 1400s. The city changed a lot over time, including being ruled by the Habsburgs and feeling the effects of the Thirty Years' War. Stuttgart became the capital of the Kingdom of Württemberg in 1805.

In the 1800s, Stuttgart started to change and grow, especially when the railway arrived. The city became known for industry, especially making cars, with people like Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler starting the automotive industry there. Stuttgart was part of the German Empire in 1871.

In the 1900s, Stuttgart faced hard times, including both World Wars. The city was bombed during World War II but was rebuilt and kept growing. Today, Stuttgart is an important city in Germany, known for its cars, culture, and schools.

Geography

Stuttgart is the capital of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is in a valley named the Stuttgarter Kessel, close to the Neckar river. The city is about an hour from the Black Forest and the Swabian Jura.

Stuttgart is between 207 meters and 549 meters above sea level. The city covers an area of 207.35 km². It is surrounded by forests and vineyards. This gives it the nickname "between forest and vines."

Landmarks and culture

Stuttgart is the capital of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It has a rich history and many interesting places to see. The heart of the city is Schlossplatz, the largest square. From here, you can reach shops, parks, castles, and museums. Königstraße is Germany’s longest pedestrian street for shopping.

Even though World War II caused damage, many old buildings still stand today. These include Stiftskirche from the 12th century and the Old Castle from the 15th century. The city also has modern buildings like the Hauptbahnhof railway station and the Württembergische Landesbibliothek state library.

Stuttgart has many parks and gardens. The Green U park system and Rosensteinpark are popular spots. Rosensteinpark is home to the Wilhelma zoo and botanical gardens. The city also has lakes such as Max-Eyth-See, as well as cemeteries like Hoppenlaufriedhof and Pragfriedhof.

Stuttgart is a cultural hub. It has the State Theatre and State Gallery. The Stuttgart Ballet and Radio Symphony Orchestra are famous. The city holds many events, including a big Christmas Market and many festivals each year.

Stuttgart is also known for its museums. These include the Old and New State Galleries, the Mercedes-Benz Museum, and the Porsche Museum. They show art and the history of cars.

Demographics

Stuttgart is the sixth largest city in Germany, with about 630,000 people living there. The city grew a lot in the 1960s because of famous automobile companies like Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. Many workers came from countries such as Turkey, Greece, India, Italy, and former Yugoslavian countries.

Today, more than half of Stuttgart’s residents are not from the local Swabian background. People from many different parts of the world have moved to Stuttgart for jobs, especially since the 1960s. By 2022, about 47% of the city’s population had a foreign background. The largest groups come from Turkey, Greece, Italy, and Croatia. Over time, the city has seen changes in its religious makeup, with many people now following different faiths or no religion at all.

Government and politics

Stuttgart has a long history of local government. In the past, leaders were chosen by local rulers. Today, the city elects a mayor to lead.

Stuttgart is the capital of Baden-Württemberg. This makes it an important political place in Germany. It has many government offices and the State Parliament. Different political groups have led the city over time, showing the changing ideas of its people.

Economy

The Stuttgart area is known for its high-tech industry. Big companies like Mercedes-Benz Group, Porsche, Robert Bosch GmbH, and Hewlett-Packard have their main offices there.

Stuttgart is an important place for science and research. It has many universities and research centers, including the University of Stuttgart and institutes of the German Aerospace Centre (DLR). The city has Germany's second largest stock market, the Stuttgart Stock Exchange.

Stuttgart has a long history with wine and beer. Wine grapes are grown in the city, and Stuttgart is one of Germany’s largest wine-growing cities. The city also has well-known breweries like Stuttgarter Hofbräu.

Education

Stuttgart is a place where important thinkers and writers lived, such as Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Friedrich Schiller, and Friedrich Hölderlin. The city is known for its work in engineering and research, with many institutions from the Fraunhofer Society.

Stuttgart has many places for higher learning. The University of Stuttgart is one of the largest, focusing on engineering and technology. Other schools include the University of Hohenheim for agriculture and business, the State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart, and the State Academy of Fine Arts in Stuttgart. There are also schools for media, technology, and cooperative education. The city is also home to the International School of Stuttgart, which offers special international programs for students.

Media and publishing

Stuttgart is an important city for media and publishing. The public broadcasting company Südwestrundfunk (SWR) has one of its main offices here. It focuses on the southwestern German states of Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate. The city is also home to many famous publishing companies, such as the Georg von Holtzbrinck Publishing Group, Kohlhammer Verlag, and Motor Presse. Local newspapers like the Stuttgarter Zeitung and Stuttgarter Nachrichten are also published in Stuttgart. There is also an American Forces Network station that broadcasts for people connected with the US military.

Transport

Stuttgart has worked to improve its air quality by creating a low emission zone. This zone affects vehicles entering some parts of the city.

The city has a light rail system called the Stuttgart Stadtbahn. It runs underground in busy areas. Stuttgart also has buses, a suburban railway called the Stuttgart S-Bahn, and special railways like the Zahnradbahn rack railway and a funicular railway. The main train station connects Stuttgart to many German cities and some international places.

Stuttgart Airport serves the city and is about 13 km south of the center. The city is connected by several Autobahns and has many expressways and road tunnels. There is also an inland port on the Neckar river.

Sport

Football is very popular in Stuttgart. The city has two well-known football teams: VfB Stuttgart, called "The Reds," and Stuttgarter Kickers, called "The Blues." VfB Stuttgart was founded in 1893 and plays in the top German league. They play their home games at MHPArena.

Stuttgart also has teams in other sports. There is a men's handball team and a women's volleyball team, Allianz MTV Stuttgart, which has won German championships. The city has ice hockey, water polo, American football, and Australian football teams. Stuttgart has hosted big international sports events, such as the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA European Championship.

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany

Twin towns – sister cities

Stuttgart is twinned with cities in many parts of the world, including:

• St Helens, United Kingdom (1948)
• Cardiff, United Kingdom (1955)
• St. Louis, United States (1960)
• Strasbourg, France (1962)
• Mumbai, India (1968)
• Menzel Bourguiba, Tunisia (1971)
• Cairo, Egypt (1979)
• Łódź, Poland (1988)
• Brno, Czech Republic (1989)
• Samara, Russia (1992)

Some areas of the city also have twin towns, like Bad Cannstatt with Újbuda (Budapest), Hungary.

Friendships

Stuttgart has friendly ties with:

• Ōgaki, Japan
• Nanjing, China
• Shavei Tzion, Israel

People

Main article: List of people from Stuttgart

Stuttgart has been home to many famous people over time. These people have done important work in areas like art, science, and sports. The city still draws talented people from many places.

In popular culture

Stuttgart has appeared in several games, novels, and movies. In the 2003 video game Command & Conquer: Generals Zero Hour, players defend the city. Characters and locations from Stuttgart also appear in games like Team Fortress 2 and Overwatch.

The city is also featured in books and films. In the 2005 novel The Book Thief, a main character lives there. In the 2012 film The Avengers, an important event happens in Stuttgart.