Mannheim

Mannheim is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is an urban district and the second-largest city in the state, with about 315,000 residents. It lies at the confluence of the Rhine and Neckar rivers in the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region, adjacent to Ludwigshafen am Rhein and Heidelberg.

Founded in 1607 as a fortress and settlement for the Electoral Palatinate, Mannheim gained prominence in the 18th century as the seat of the Electors, especially under Karl Theodor. The Mannheim Palace became one of the largest Baroque residences in Europe. The city features a distinctive grid-like street plan around the central Marktplatz and the Wasserturm, a landmark water tower.

The city is known for the Mannheim School of classical music in the 18th century; it is home to the University of Mannheim (founded 1967) and the University of Applied Sciences Mannheim. Notable cultural institutions include the Kunsthalle Mannheim and the Reiss-Engelhorn Museums, and the annual Maimarkt Mannheim, one of the largest regional fairs in Germany. The nearby Rhine-Neckar region includes Heidelberg and Ludwigshafen.

Mannheim is an important transportation and logistics hub with a major river port on the Rhine and strong rail connections; it hosts a variety of industries and services. The city is served by Mannheim Hauptbahnhof and road connections via motorways A5 and A6.