Birstein

Coat of arms

Birstein

Location of Birstein within Main-Kinzig-Kreis district

Coordinates: 50°21′11″N 9°18′33″E / 50.35306°N 9.30917°ECoordinates: 50°21′11″N 9°18′33″E / 50.35306°N 9.30917°E

Country

Government

• Mayor

Wolfgang Gottlieb (Ind.)

Area

• Total

86.63 km² (33.45 sq mi)

Elevation

268-570 m (−1,602 ft)

Population (2015-12-31)

• Total

6,269

• Density

72/km² (190/sq mi)

CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)

63633

06054

MKK

Website

www.birstein.de

Birstein is a municipality on the northeastern edge of the Main-Kinzig-Kreis in Hesse, Germany with approximately 6,600 inhabitants. It was the home of the former principality of Isenburg-Birstein.

The town lies at the southern base of the Vogelsberg Mountains. For this reason, and because of the natural beauty of its setting, it is known as the "Pearl of the Vogelsberg".

Birstein proper has two sections. The northern part, uphill from the palace, is known as the "Oberberg", while the southern part, where most of the shops and commercial establishments are located, is called the "Unterberg".

On the north, Birstein borders on Grebenhain, which lies in the Vogelsbergkreis, and on the east, its neighbors are Freiensteinau (also in the Vogelsbergkreis) and the town of Steinau an der Straße. Bad Soden-Salmünster and the municipality of Brachttal border it on the south, as do Kefenrod and the town of Gedern on the west, both in the Wetteraukreis.

The municipality consists of the subdivisions of Birstein, Bösgesäß I, Bösgesäß II, Fischborn, Hettersroth, Illnhausen, Kirchbracht. Lichenroth, Mauswinkel, Oberreichenbach, Birstein, Obersotzbach, Unterreichenbach, Untersotzbach, Völzberg, Wettges, and Wüstwillenroth.

The separation of Bösgesäß I (Prussian Bösgesäß) and Bösgesäß II (Hessian Bösgesäß) took place as a result of the Congress of Vienna. The brook which flows through this area, called the Bracht, was designated as the border between the two localities. They lie approximately 100 meters apart.

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Wikipedia