As the federal state capital of Baden-Württemberg with almost 600,000 inhabitants, Stuttgart has a lot to offer. On the one hand, the city is the economic centre of southwest Germany, especially in the automotive sector. On the other hand, it is also known as a city of wine and as a city of architecture and culture.
Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach, for example, developed the first petrol engine in their garden shed in 1882, laying the foundation for the city's automobile industry. Porsche followed later as a sports car manufacturer and numerous supplier companies for the automotive industry such as Bosch or Mahle were established.
Though Stuttgart is not only a city of automobiles, but also a city of wine, and in fact the centre of one of the largest wine-growing regions in Germany. In addition to the well-tried wine varieties Trollinger and Riesling, there are many other varieties that are cultivated on the steep slopes in the middle of the city or on the outskirts.
Another attraction connected with the valley location of the city is the Stuttgart Stäffele. The Stäffele were built very early on as a steep, but at least fast connection between the city's different elevations and still avoid long detours today. One man's sorrow, another man's joy, the most beautiful stables can even be explored on a guided tour with numerous anecdotes and information.
In the field of architecture, Stuttgart boasts many architectural monuments. These include the Stuttgart television tower, which was built by Fritz Leonhardt in 1955 and at the time caused a worldwide sensation due to its design and size. The Weißenhof-Siedlung is also known far beyond the city limits as the most important testimony to modern architecture. This ensemble was created in 1927 under the direction of Mies van der Rohe and with the collaboration of numerous well-known architects such as Le Corbusier, Scharoun or Behrens. Other outstanding buildings in the city are the main railway station and the new building of the Staatsgalerie.
In addition to the Staatsgalerie, Stuttgart offers other museums worth seeing, a rich theatre scene and an important opera house. Castles, parks, the surrounding forests and Wilhelma, the zoo, make a wide range of leisure activities possible.
