Pforzheim

The Romans founded Pforzheim at the meeting place of three rivers, the Nagold, the Enz, and the Würm, and it's known today as the "gateway to the Black Forest." The city was almost totally destroyed in World War II, which accounts for its not-so-attractive blocky postwar architectural style. Pforzheim owes its prosperity to its role in Europe's jewelry trade and its wristwatch industry. To get a sense of the "Gold City," explore the jewelry shops on streets around Leopoldplatz and the pedestrian area.