Contact Admin. Stuttgart is located on the Neckar river in a fertile valley known locally as the "Stuttgart Cauldron".
It lies an hour from the Swabian Jura and the Black Forest. Its urban area has a population of ,, [7] making it the sixth largest city in Germany. The city and metropolitan area are consistently ranked among the top 20 European metropolitan areas by GDP ; Mercer listed Stuttgart as 21st on its list of cities by quality of living , [a] [9] innovation agency 2thinknow ranked the city 24th globally out of cities [10] [b] and the Globalization and World Cities Research Network ranked the city as a Beta-status world city in their survey.
Since the 6th millennium BC, the Stuttgart area has been an important agricultural area and has been host to a number of cultures seeking to utilize the rich soil of the Neckar valley. The Roman Empire conquered the area in 83 AD and built a massive castrum near Bad Cannstatt , making it the most important regional centre for several centuries.
Stuttgart's roots were truly laid in the 10th century with its founding by Liudolf , Duke of Swabia , as a stud farm for his warhorses. Initially overshadowed by nearby Cannstatt , the town grew steadily and was granted a charter in Stuttgart prospered despite setbacks in the Thirty Years' War and devastating air raids by the Allies on the city and its automobile production during World War II. However, by , the city had bounced back and it became the major economic, industrial, tourism and publishing centre it is today.
Stuttgart is also a transport junction, and possesses the sixth-largest airport in Germany. Stuttgart is unusual in the scheme of German cities. This often surprises visitors who associate the city with its reputation as the " cradle of the automobile ". In July , Stuttgart unveiled a new city logo, designed to entice more business people to stay in the city and enjoy breaks in the area.
