Economy Car Rental Stuttgart

Stuttgart is the capital and largest city of Baden-Württemberg, a German state. It is situated on the Neckar river, in a rich valley known locally as the "Stuttgart Cauldron," and is about an hour's drive from the Swabian Jura and the Black Forest. It has a population of 635,911 people, making it Germany's sixth biggest city. The city's administrative territory has 2.8 million inhabitants and its metropolitan area has 5.3 million people, making it Germany's fourth biggest metropolitan area. The city and metropolitan area are consistently ranked among the top 20 European metropolitan areas by GDP; Mercer ranked Stuttgart 21st on its 2015 list of cities by quality of living; innovation agency 2thinknow ranked Stuttgart 24th globally out of 442 cities; and the Globalization and World Cities Research Network ranked Stuttgart as a Beta-status global city in their 2014 survey. Stuttgart was one of the official host cities for the 1974 and 2006 FIFA World Cups.

The Stuttgart area has been an important agricultural area since the 7th millennium BC, and it has been home to a variety of cultures attempting to exploit the rich soil of the Neckar valley. In AD 83, the Roman Empire seized the area and erected a large castrum at Bad Cannstatt, which became the most significant regional center for several centuries. Stuttgart's origins may be traced back to the 10th century, when Liudolf, Duke of Swabia, established it as a stud farm for his warhorses. Initially overshadowed by neighboring Bad Cannstatt, the town expanded rapidly and received a charter in 1320. Stuttgart's fortunes mirrored those of the House of Württemberg, who made it the capital of their county, duchy, and kingdom from the 15th century through 1918. Despite losses in the Thirty Years' War and catastrophic air attacks by the Allies on the city and its automotive manufacturing during World War II, Stuttgart thrived. However, by 1952, the city had recovered and had become a significant commercial, industrial, tourist, and publishing center.

Stuttgart is also a transportation hub, with the sixth-largest airport in Germany. Stuttgart is home to several important corporations, including Porsche, Bosch, Mercedes-Benz, and Daimler AG.