Saarbruecken

Saarbrücken
Saarbrücken in January 2006
Coat of arms
Saarbrücken Location of Saarbrücken within Saarbrücken district
Coordinates: 49°14′N 7°0′E / 49.233°N 7.000°E / 49.233; 7.000Coordinates: 49°14′N 7°0′E / 49.233°N 7.000°E / 49.233; 7.000
Country	Germany
State	Saarland
District	Saarbrücken
Government
• Mayor	Charlotte Britz (SPD)
Area
• City	167.07 km2 (64.51 sq mi)
Elevation	230.1 m (754.9 ft)
Population (2016-12-31)
• City	179,709
• Density	1,100/km2 (2,800/sq mi)
• Urban	329,593
• Metro	700,000
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes	66001–66133
Dialling codes	0681, 06893, 06897, 06898, 06805
Vehicle registration	SB
Website	www.saarbruecken.de

Largest groups of foreign residents
Country of birth	Population (2014)
Italy	3,851
France	2,292
Turkey	2,245
Romania	1,555
Poland	1,000

Saarbrücken (German pronunciation: [zaːɐ̯ˈbʁʏkn̩] ( listen), French: Sarrebruck[saʁbʁyk], Rhine Franconian: Saarbrigge [zaːˈbʁɪgə]) is the capital and largest city of the state of Saarland, Germany. Saarbrücken is Saarland's administrative, commercial and cultural centre. The city is situated next to the French border at the heart of the metropolitan area of Saarland.

Saarbrücken was created in 1909 by the merger of three towns, Saarbrücken, St. Johann, and Malstatt-Burbach. It used to be the industrial and transport centre of the Saar coal basin. Products included iron and steel, sugar, beer, pottery, optical instruments, machinery, and construction materials.

Historic landmarks in the city include the stone bridge across the Saar (1546), the Gothic church of St. Arnual, the 18th-century Saarbrücken Castle, and the old part of the town, the Sankt Johanner Markt (Market of St. Johann).

Twice in the 20th century Saarbrücken was separated from Germany: in 1920–35 as capital of the Territory of the Saar Basin and in 1947–56 as capital of the Saar Protectorate.