Botnang (formerly Bothnang) is a borough of the City of Stuttgart and lies between Feuerbach, Stuttgart-West and Vaihingen. Geography Botnang is almost entirely surrounded by woodland and lies in the hills to the west of Stuttgart. The centre of Botnang lies 316 metres above sea level. The town's highest point is 479 metres above sea level in woods near to the so-called Forest House. Four streams, all fed by natural sources, flow down from the surrounding woods from the West and South West of Botnang to the Feuerbach valley and beyond. Coat of arms The Botnang coat of arms shows a wild boar between two trees (believed to be beech trees). The emblem was created in 1919 after discovering in district archives that the town boasted neither a coat of arms nor any other emblem. It was designed by archive managers in Stuttgart and symbolizes the wild game reserve originally established by King Friedrich in the woods around the town in 1815/16. The coat of arms holds no official status since Botnang's incorporation into Stuttgart City in 1922, but still features prominently on signs, in local buildings and in publications. Wild boar still roam the woods around Botnang, especially during prolonged periods of cold. The emblem considered by many locals to symbolize Botnang more accurately is the cuckoo. It is used half affectionately, half mockingly by residents and nearby communities respectively to refer to Botnang and its inhabitants. This is based on a legend that the Duke of Württemberg once asked the 'Botnangers' to acquire him a cuckoo after walking in the nearby woods. Having fulfilled his request they were then asked to bring him the "Home of the Cuckoo". Unable to decide whether this was based on ignorance or was in fact a trick (cuckoos have no nest; they lay their eggs in other birds' nests), the Botnangers gave the duke an area of their woods - much to the derision of other local communities. History Nearly 2000 years ago two important Roman roads travelled through the area near to the modern Forest House behind today's Oberer Kirchhaldenweg. This may be because of a small pot making community that stood to the east of the settlement. Botnang is first mentioned in official records in 1075 when the local landlords, the Counts of Calw, bequeathed their property and all revenues from Botnang to Hirsau Abbey. In 1281, Hirsau sold its