Idar-Oberstein

Idar-Oberstein
Schloss Oberstein, castle on the hills above Oberstein
Schloss Oberstein, castle on the hills above Oberstein
Coat of arms of Idar-Oberstein
Location of Idar-Oberstein within Birkenfeld district
Idar-Oberstein is located in Germany
Idar-Oberstein
Idar-Oberstein
Idar-Oberstein is located in Rhineland-Palatinate
Idar-Oberstein
Idar-Oberstein
Coordinates: 49°42′41″N 7°18′47″E / 49.71139°N 7.31306°E / 49.71139; 7.31306
CountryGermany
StateRhineland-Palatinate
DistrictBirkenfeld
Government
 • Lord mayor (2023–31) Frank Frühauf[1] (CDU)
Area
 • Total91.56 km2 (35.35 sq mi)
Elevation
300 m (1,000 ft)
Population
 (2022-12-31)[2]
 • Total28,851
 • Density320/km2 (820/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes
55743
Dialling codes06781, 06784
Vehicle registrationBIR
Websitewww.idar-oberstein.de
Panorama of the town
Idar-Oberstein at night
Aerial photograph
Overlooking Idar-Oberstein from Schloss Oberstein

Idar-Oberstein (German: [ˌiːdaːɐ̯ˈʔoːbɐˌʃtaɪ̯n] ) is a town in the Birkenfeld district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. As a Große kreisangehörige Stadt (large city belonging to a district), it assumes some of the responsibilities that for smaller municipalities in the district are assumed by the district administration. Today's town of Idar-Oberstein is the product of two rounds of administrative reform, one in 1933 and the other in 1969, which saw many municipalities amalgamated into one. The various Stadtteile have, however, retained their original identities, which, aside from the somewhat more urban character encountered in Idar and Oberstein, tend to hark back to each centre's history as a rural village. Idar-Oberstein is known as a gemstone town, and also as a garrison town. It is also the largest town in the Hunsrück.

  1. ^ Frank Frühauf bleibt Oberbürgermeister in Idar-Oberstein, Süddeutsche Zeitung, 26 June 2022.
  2. ^ "Bevölkerungsstand 2022, Kreise, Gemeinden, Verbandsgemeinden" (PDF) (in German). Statistisches Landesamt Rheinland-Pfalz. 2023.