Birkenfeld

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Birkenfeld
Coat of arms Location
Coat of arms of Birkenfeld
Birkenfeld (Germany)
Birkenfeld
Administration
Country Flag of Germany Germany
State Rhineland-Palatinate
District Birkenfeld
Municipal assoc. Birkenfeld
Mayor Peter Nauert (CDU)
Basic statistics
Area 13.58 km² (5.2 sq mi)
Elevation 410 m  (1345 ft)
Population 6,814  (31/12/2006)
 - Density 502 /km² (1,300 /sq mi)
Other information
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Licence plate BIR
Postal code 55765
Area code 06782
Website www.stadt-birkenfeld.de

Coordinates: 49°39′00″N 07°11′00″E / 49.65, 7.183333

Birkenfeld is a municipality, capital of the district Birkenfeld, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated in the Hunsrück, approx. 15 km south-west of Idar-Oberstein.

In the 17/18th century Birkenfeld was capital of the Pfalzgrafschaft Birkenfeld, whose heir Maximilian I Joseph inherited the electorates of Palatinate and Bavaria in 1799 and who became king of Bavaria in 1806. From 1816-1937 Birkenfeld was capital of the Principality of Birkenfeld which was part of the grand-duchy of Oldenburg. Therefore Birkenfeld is now centre of the district though Idar-Oberstein is bigger.

Birkenfeld is the seat of the Verbandsgemeinde ("collective municipality") Birkenfeld.