The city was practically totally destroyed. Without infrastructure wouldn’t it have just been some pile of rocks on the Volga? Why did the axis not just set up shop a few miles down the river after destroying the city?
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*Führer Directive #45:*
>The task of Army Group B is, as previously laid down, to develop the Don defenses and, by a thrust forward to Stalingrad, to smash the enemy forces concentrated there, to occupy the town, and to block the land communications between the Don and the Volga, as well as the Don itself.
[[source](https://www.stalingrad.net/german-hq/hitler-directives/dir45.html)]
The purpose of taking Stalingrad was to cut off the Caucasus from the Soviets. Stalingrad (modern Volgograd) sits on the west bank of the Volga river. As long as the Soviets were there, they threatened the German operations in the Caucasus. This is the motivation for both armies to fight over Stalingrad.
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