Pforzheim

Here are three things you should know about Pforzheim:

• Pforzheim is known as the " Golden City " because it has been one of Germany's most important centers for jewelry and watch production since the 18th century; it is estimated that around 70% of Germany's jewelry and silverware sales come from Pforzheim, and about 80% of all German jewelry exports are manufactured here.
• The town dates back to a Roman settlement around 90 AD on the River Enz , named Portus (“harbour”) ; from this also comes the nickname “ Pforte zum Schwarzwald ”, gateway to the Black Forest.
• Pforzheim has a dramatic recent history: on February 23, 1945, a heavy British bombardment destroyed approximately 80% of the city area and killed almost 18,000 people, leaving the post-war city largely shaped as a modern reconstruction city.

Pascal Brackman