Mannheim

Mannheim is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. With 318,873 inhabitants it is the second largest town in Baden-Württemberg after Stuttgart.

Mannheim is situated in the delta of Rhein and Neckar. Mannheim has an important train junction and the largest domestic port in Germany. Mannheim is the only town in Germany built up on squares, like cities in the US. The main route through the squares leads to an enormous 18th century castle that houses the University of Mannheim. DaimlerChrysler is present with an assembly hangar for trucks and buses. The Swiss Roche Diagnostic group former known as Boehringer Mannheim has its division headquarter in Mannheim.

In 1720, Mannheim replaced Heidelberg as the capital of the Palatinate. Mannheim was home to the so-called Mannheim School of 18th century classical composers.

Carl Benz invented and drove the worlds first car in Manheim in 1885. Earlier still in 1817, Karl Drais invented and rode the first two-wheeled contraption called Laufmaschine or velocipede - the very start of horseless personal transport. And banker Otto Hermann Kahn was born there.