[1] The area of today's Südweststadt used to belong to Beiertheim.

It was only when industry settled in Südweststadt and construction work began in 1860 that the area became a separate district.

The Karlsruhe Zoo was built at the eastern end in 1864.

The Industriewerke Karlsruhe, a weapons and munitions factory built during the World War II, is now used by, among others, the Zentrum für Kunst und Medien.

The district is also home to the Public Prosecutor General, the Günther-Klotz-Anlage park, the hospital St. Vincentius-Kliniken and the Europahalle.