Round The World and other travel

August 2010: Stuttgart

Situated between Frankfurt and Germany's Black Forest region, Stuttgart is probably best known as the 'cradle of the automobile', for indeed it was here in 1889 that the motor car was invented by Gottlieb Daimler. The city still has strong connections with the automotive industry and this leads many people to think of it first and foremost as an industrial centre.

It is also, however, capital of the German federal state and former kingdom of Baden-Württemberg, and the city centre still contains much evidence of this royal legacy. One piece of Stuttgart trivia that I discovered prior to my visit was the improbable sounding claim that a vineyard can be found within 500m of the main station. I can now confirm that this is correct, further giving the lie to any assertion that this is a purely industrial city. Wine is an important part of the local culture, and the annual Weindorf festival was in full swing during my short stay.