Saarbrücken, State capital in southwestern Germany
Saarbrücken is the state capital of Saarland in southwestern Germany and sits on both banks of the Saar, which divides the center in two. The city shows a mix of residential neighborhoods, shopping streets and older industrial sites that spread along the river and its tributaries.
In 1321 the settlement received city rights and grew out of a Frankish royal fortress named Sarrabrucca, which refers to a Roman bridge. After the Second World War the Saar region changed hands several times before finally becoming part of the Federal Republic in 1957.
The name comes from an old bridge over the Saar that stood here in Roman times and later served as a crossing for the Franks. Today the cityscape blends German and French elements, visible in the building facades and bilingual signs in many shops and restaurants.
The main train station connects the city to Paris in under two hours and offers links to the regional network. Buses and trams cover most neighborhoods, while pedestrians find short distances between major sites in the center.
Below the Schlossplatz lies a vaulted system of medieval castle ruins about 14 meters underground, illuminated for visitors with UV lamps. This underground site shows wall remains and foundations that were discovered during construction work in the 1980s.
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