Merzalben

Merzalben
Coat of arms of Merzalben
Location of Merzalben within Südwestpfalz district
Merzalben is located in Germany
Merzalben
Merzalben
Merzalben is located in Rhineland-Palatinate
Merzalben
Merzalben
Coordinates: 49°14′40″N 7°43′51″E / 49.24446°N 7.73077°E / 49.24446; 7.73077
CountryGermany
StateRhineland-Palatinate
DistrictSüdwestpfalz
Municipal assoc.Rodalben
Government
 • Mayor (2019–24) Michael Köhler[1] (CDU)
Area
 • Total30.01 km2 (11.59 sq mi)
Elevation
281 m (922 ft)
Population
 (2022-12-31)[2]
 • Total1,202
 • Density40/km2 (100/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes
66978
Dialling codes06395
Vehicle registrationPS
Websitewww.merzalben.de

Merzalben is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany, deriving its name from the Merzalbe, also known as the Merzalb, that flows through the village. Along with 5 other Ortsgemeinden ("local municipalities") Merzalben belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde Rodalben ("collective municipality of Rodalben") in Südwestpfalz, wherein it is the largest in terms of physical area, but the smallest in terms of population. The municipality contains several distinct natural and cultural landmarks, with the earliest known records dating back to 1237. It was also considered a state-approved tourist resort (German: Fremdenverkehrsort)[3] before the title was dropped in Rhineland Palatinate in 2016[4] and all communities awarded the designation were barred from its use in 2020. [5]

  1. ^ Direktwahlen 2019, Landkreis Südwestpfalz, Landeswahlleiter Rheinland-Pfalz, accessed 9 August 2021.
  2. ^ "Bevölkerungsstand 2022, Kreise, Gemeinden, Verbandsgemeinden" (PDF) (in German). Statistisches Landesamt Rheinland-Pfalz. 2023.
  3. ^ Statistisches Landesamt Rheinland-Pfalz. "Mein Dorf, meine Stadt". Retrieved 2021-05-04.
  4. ^ Kurortegesetz für Rheinland-Pfalz ab 2016
  5. ^ Edith Christmann: Kurortegesetz, Tourismusnetzwerk Rheinland-Pfalz, 19. Januar 2016.