STUTTGART, the royal residence and metropolis of Wiirtemberg, is beautifully situated in a widening of the Nesenbach valley, the hills forming a semicircle of emi nences clothed with vineyards, orchards, and gardens. The basin in which Stuttgart nestles is 897 ft. above the sea-level, and enjoys a mild and healthy climate.
Except the very oldest part of the city, the streets are broad, and the buildings handsome. The schloss, or palace, is a fine modern building. The royal park and gardens extend from the n.e. side of the palace for 2 m. in the direction of Canstatt, have an area of 560 acres, are adorned by fine groups of trees, and intersected by shady avenues, in which all classes may freely walk. The cathedral, built in the 15th c., was gifted by the king, in 1852, with several beautiful painted windows. Other principal buildings are the royal theater, public library, mint, museum of art, polytechnic school, erected in 1860-65, the royal stables for 300 horses, etc. A fine statute of Schiller has been erected in the palace place. The royal library contains 300,000 volumes, 3,600 MSS., 9,000 Bibles in 80 languages, and 2.400 specimens of early printing.
Stuttgart has many benevolent institutions and societies. There is direct railway
communication with the leading cities of Germany, Switzerland, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Pop. in 1871. 91,623; of whom 78,624 were Protestants, 10.708 Roman Catholics, and 1817 Jews; in 1875, 107,273. Since 1866, and especially since the Franco-Prussian war, trade has increased in a remarkable degree. The principal industries are the manufacture of cotton and half-wool fabrics, iron and tin work, gold and silver articles, chemicals, tobacco, beer-brewing, etc. The export of Stuttgart manufactures to North America alone, averaged in late years 4,000.000 to 5,000,000 thalers. Stuttgart has a high-position in the book-trade, and is the place of meeting of the booksellers' union of southern Germany. Stuttgart was the birth-place of Hegel; here, also, Schiller's youth was spent. The name of the city occurs for the first time in. 1229. It was besieged by Icing Rudolph of Hapsburg, 1280-87, and appears then to have been a place of strength. Between 1634-38, nearly 9,000 people died of the plague; and during the wars of Louis XIV., Stuttgart was thrice taken; and again in 1790, 1800, and 1901.