In the city of Stuttgart, capital of southwest Germany’s Baden-Württemberg state

 (in the capital of Baden-Württemberg, a state in southwestern Germany), Stuttgart, a transportation and industrial center, is one of Germany’s larger cities; it sits astride the Neckar River in the historic region of Swabia between the Black Forest to the west and the chain of hills known as the Swabian Alps to the south. Stuttgart is the site of the state art gallery, archives, library, observatory, and opera, the Stuttgart Ballet, and a large botanical and zoological garden. In the suburbs are Mercedes-Benz and Porsche museums and many mineral springs. Historic sites include a rebuilt 13th-century castle that now houses the state museum, a palace that contains the natural history museum, and a Gothic church. Ludwigsburg Palace, the largest Baroque-style complex in Germany, is outside the city. Stuttgart is the seat of Stuttgart and Hohenheim universities as well as technological colleges and academies for art, music, and architecture. (The Cannstatter Folk Festival is held in Cannstatt Meadows every fall.)

+ Stuttgart is the center of the largest industrial zone in southwestern Germany. It is a rail junction and a port city, and it has an international airport. The city has developed into a center of business services, high technology, and finance -- and also holds various trade fairs. Daimler, one of the oldest automobile manufacturers in the world, is headquartered in Stuttgart. Other industries include printing and publishing and the production of textiles and clothing, precision instruments, beer, wooden and leather goods, and musical instruments. (The city also has an extensive wine and fruit trade.)