Idar-Oberstein
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| Idar-Oberstein | |
| Coat of arms | Location |
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| Administration | |
| Country |  Germany |
|---|---|
| State | Rhineland-Palatinate |
| District | Birkenfeld |
| Mayor | Bruno Zimmer (SPD) |
| Basic statistics | |
| Area | 91.56 km² (35.4 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 300 m (984 ft) |
| Population | 31,791 (31/12/2006) |
| - Density | 347 /km² (899 /sq mi) |
| Other information | |
| Time zone | CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) |
| Licence plate | BIR |
| Postal code | 55743 |
| Area codes | 06781, 06784 |
| Website | www.idar-oberstein.de |
| Location of the town of Idar-Oberstein within Birkenfeld district | |
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Idar-Oberstein is a city in the Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany. It is The German Capital of Gemstone Industry. The city lies on the Nahe River, in the district of Birkenfeld.
It is the largest city in the Hunsrück region of southwest Germany, and has a population of around 35,000.
Contents |
[edit] History
The towns of Idar and Oberstein belonged to the barons of Daun-Oberstein (who later became the counts of Falkenstein) until 1670. In 1865, both Idar and Oberstein were chartered as cities, and finally in 1933, they united (along with the smaller towns of Algenrodt and Tiefenstein) to form the modern town of Idar-Oberstein.
Idar-Oberstein is currently best known as a gemstone center: until recently, the area was a source for agate and jasper (both semi-precious stones), and the gem and jewelry trade continues to flourish in Idar-Oberstein today.
The Felsenkirche, aka the Church of the Rock, and two ruined medieval castles are perched on the hills above the town, and are, after gemstones and jewelry, the chief tourist attractions in the city. Schloss Oberstein was the site of "Tschuess Fest," a festival celebrating German-American friendship. It was held on April 21, 2007 and had over 500 attendees. Additionally, it served as a farewell to the area's two main American socialites, Jason O. Waters, an American doughnut guru, and John C. Mooney, Waters' public relations director. Additionally, Kofan Stesovych, a former Ukrainian dictator was also living in Idar Oberstein for several years but then moved to Göttingen because he disagreed with Water's doughnut factory plans for the village of Hattgenstein.
The German Army's Artillery School (Artillerieschule) is located in Idar-Oberstein. Baumholder, a United States military installation just south of Idar-Oberstein, was once the largest concentration of American combat soldiers outside of the U.S, and a large number of its junior officers live in Idar-Oberstein on the German economy. Additionally, the small U.S. Army post of Strassburg Kaserne overlooks the city from the suburb of Algenrodt--1st Battalion, 94th Field Artillery, is based from Strassburg, and so several hundred U.S. soldiers regularly call Idar-Oberstein home for periods of two to four years.
[edit] Notable Residents
Bruce Willis was born in Idar-Oberstein in 1955. Count Maxwell Charles Griffin Ford is the current non-reigning Count of Idar-Oberstein.
[edit] Dining
Spiesbraten is a dish typically, pork or beef, and associated with the area. For many years the town hosted an annual Spiesbraten Fest. Many restaurants specialize in this marinated steak of beef or pork. It is cooked on an open pit over a wood fire. It is typically served with a salad of grated radish. "Schmeckt gut!" (Translation: tastes good)
[edit] Tourism
Since the early 1960s tourism became quite important for Idar-Oberstein. Today one will find many modern facilities like the "Steinkaulenberg" (a gemstone mine open for visitors) and the "Deutsches Edelsteinmuseum" (German gemstone museum) as well as many recreational resorts.
[edit] Nightlife
The recently opened Park Hotel is the main attraction on Friday nights, offering an upscale bar on the main floor and a "euro-rock" themed dance club on the bottom floor. Visitors seeking a younger, more questionable crowd may find respite in Club Ypsilon, in the Oberstein pedestrian zone. The large Russian immigrant population in the city has claimed Ypsilon as its own, reportedly leading to a number of small conflicts with American soldiers stationed in the area who periodically also try to establish an American presence in the club. Nearby Granadas, has been off-limits to American soldiers for several years, and so has a more uniformly European attendance--Granadas maintains both a hip-hop and techno themed floor for a younger crowd, similar to Ypsilon, and an 80's and disco dance-room for slightly older patrons. Other popular locations in Idar-Oberstein include the Cafè Carrè, the Brasserie on Idar's Schleiferplatz, and Eckstein, a modern pub on the Idar Walkplatz.
[edit] Other Recreation
Options for recreational activity include tubing the Nahe river during the early summer, running and hiking through the diamond mine paths, and several recurring city festivals to include the Caribbean Fest.
[edit] Districts
Old Town:
- Oberstein (8.794)
- Idar (8.466)
- Tiefenstein (2.642)
- Algenrodt (2.382)
→ Population: 22.284
New Districts:
- Göttschied (2.924)
- Weierbach (2.703)
- Nahbollenbach (1.970)
- Mittelbollenbach (1.197)
- Kirchenbollenbach (938)
- Regulshausen (835)
- Enzweiler (747)
- Georg-Weierbach (709)
- Hammerstein (573)
→ Population: 12.596
30th of July 2005
[edit] Partnerships
Idar-Oberstein has established partnerships with these cities:
Achicourt (France) since 1966- Les Mureaux (France) since 1971
Margate (Great Britain) since 1981
Goiânia (Brazil) since 2004
[edit] External links
- Official web site
- Official Tourist Information in English
- gemstone mine Steinkaulenberg
- Deutsches Edelsteinmuseum (German Gemstone Museum)
- INTERGEM-international trade fair for gemstones
- The Museum Oberstein
- International Trade Fair for Precious Stones and Jewellery (Intergem)
- History of Idar-Oberstein's gem industry
- Gemstone-Museum
- Wirtschaftsjunioren Idar-Oberstein (JCI Idar-Oberstein)
