The Squares explained: why Mannheim's city centre manages without street names

Mannheim's city centre was laid out as a Baroque planned grid, which is why it carries the nickname City of Squares (Quadratestadt). Instead of street names, addresses follow a letter-and-number system radiating from the former electoral residence, today's palace. The blocks west of the central axis bear the letters A to K, those to the east L to U, each combined with a house number within the square. Once you have grasped the principle, you find your way around faster than in any organically grown old town. For many Mannheimers, the Squares have long been a piece of identity and a hallmark of their city.