Stuttgarter Rössle / The Stuttgart Horse

The “Stuttgarter Rössle” – the emblem on the city’s coat of arms – is a horse rampant: proud and vigorous, with fluttering mane and extended tail, untrammelled by saddle or bridle, it symbolises the city’s development. Originally founded around 950 as a ducal stud farm, or Stuotgarten, Stuttgart has evolved over the centuries into today’s bustling metropolis with its thriving economy and wealth of cultural diversity. In 1952 it became the capital of the newly-founded federal state of Baden-Württemberg. The horse has likewise undergone several changes in the course of time. Previously it had been portrayed striding, galloping or leaping against a silver background. The gold ground of the present blazon dates back to the year 1699 and the traditional colours of the House of Württemberg. The coat of arms finally arrived at its present form on 11th April 1938.