SAARBRÜCKEN
Sightseeing

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The most important person to influence the architecture of Saarbrücken was Friedrich Joachim Stengel, court architect to the von Nassau-Saarbrücken family. He designed the catholic St. Johann Basilika (1754-1758) in the market square, as well as the monumental Schloss (Castle), the palace on the opposite bank of the Saar river (1739-1748).

The Saarbrücker Schloss, residence of the counts von Nassau-Saarbrücken, was built in renaissance style between 1602 and 1617 on the fundaments of a 13th-15th century castle. It became a baroque palace 1739-1748, but was burned down by the French in 1793. The ruins were rebuilt in 1810, partly in classical, partly in neo-renaissance style. At the end of World War II some parts were destroyed, and the rebuilding took place until 1989. The middle of the palace is made of glass now.

Opposite the schloss stands the Altes Rathaus (Old town hall) dating from 1748-1750. Today it houses an interesting museum of etnography.

The Schlosskirche fits with both palaces, and was partly destroyed in World War II. They are still busy restoring the damages on the burial monuments for some counts von Nassau-Saarbrücken, which are to watch inside the church. Interested persons can ask if they can get in by the tourist office in the big palace.

The St. Arnual Church outside the centre of Saarbrücken, is almost certainly built in the 10th century and rebuilt at the end of the 13th and in the 14th century. The impressive church is made of red sandstone. Surprisingly well kept is the interior with old church art and superb old burial monuments for counts von Nassau-Saarbrücken.

Völklinger Hütte steel-works (UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site) with its famous blast furnace building (approximately 10 km outside of Saarbrücken). In 1994, the Völklinger Hütte was classified by UNESCO as the first monument of the Industrial Age in Germany to represent a heritage of world culture. This unique construction contains a blast furnace, which is one of six blast furnaces, and houses its fan blower in a separate building that is over 6000 square meters. These unique features are the foundation of this worldwide industrial monument, which exists on more than 60 German hectors.