Argenthal
Argenthal | |
|---|---|
 Coat of arms | |
Location of Argenthal within Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis district Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis | |
| Municipal assoc. | Simmern-Rheinböllen |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2019–24) | Hans-Werner Merg[1] |
| Area | |
| • Total | 28.52 km2 (11.01 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 458 m (1,503 ft) |
| Population (2022-12-31)[2] | |
| • Total | 1,668 |
| • Density | 58/km2 (150/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| Postal codes | 55496 |
| Dialling codes | 06761 |
| Vehicle registration | SIM |
| Website | www |
Argenthal is an
Geography
Location
Argenthal lies on the northwest edge of the Soonwald, a heavily wooded section of the west-central
Argenthal's highest elevation is the Schanzerkopf at 643 m above sea level. Also within municipal limits is the Waldsee, a bathing pond that arose from an old ore strip mine that was shut down in 1935.
Argenthal is one of the bigger centres in the Hunsrück in which only a few people still work the land. Most of the municipality's inhabitants earn livelihoods as blue- or white-collar workers, officials, handcrafters, business operators and soldiers.
Municipal area’s extent
With a total surface area of 28.52 km2, of which 19.85 km2 is wooded (the Soonwald), Argenthal's municipal area is, after Boppard’s, the district’s second biggest.[3]
History
In 1091, the municipality had its first documentary mention as Argantal. The overlord was the
Population development
The following table shows the development of Argenthal’s population (figures for 31 December each time):
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| Source: Statistisches Landesamt Rheinland-Pfalz | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Politics
Municipal council
The council is made up of 16 council members, who were elected at the municipal election held on 7 June 2009, and the honorary mayor as chairman.
The municipal election held on 7 June 2009 yielded the following results:
| SPD | WG | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 7 | 9 | 16 seats |
Mayor
Argenthal's mayor is Hans-Werner Merg.[1]
Coat of arms
The German blazon reads: Im schräggeteilten Schild vorne von Blau und Silber schräg gerautet, hinten ein rot bewehrter und -gezungter Löwe nach rechts.
The municipality's arms might in English heraldic language be described thus: Per bend bendy lozengy argent and azure, and sable a lion rampant sinister Or armed and langued gules.
The “bendy lozengy” pattern on the dexter (armsbearer's right, viewer's left) side stands for the Duke of Bavaria, a former overlord, while the charge on the sinister (armsbearer's left, viewer's right) side, the lion rampant sinister (called “sinister” because he faces the armsbearer's left) likewise refers to a former overlord, in this case the Count Palatine of the Rhine.
The arms have been borne since 9 December 1980.[4]
Culture and sightseeing
Buildings
The following are listed buildings or sites in Rhineland-Palatinate’s Directory of Cultural Monuments:
- Evangelical church, Turmgasse 6 – aisleless church, 1770, west tower and lengthening marked 1852; graveyard; warriors’ memorial, sandstonepillar with relief, Palatine-Bavarian coat of arms; whole complex
- Saint John the Baptist's Catholic Church (branch church; Filialkirche St. St. Johannes Baptist), Aulergasse 1 – aisleless church, 1826, sacristy addition from latter half of the 19th century, lengthening 1949
- On Bundesstraße 50 going towards Simmern – milestone; Prussian basalt obelisk, first third of the 19th century[5]
Sport and leisure
In the summer, the municipality and its outlying area offers
Economy and infrastructure
The well developed local infrastructure and the short distance to the district seat of Simmern and
References
- ^ a b Direktwahlen 2019, Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis, Landeswahlleiter Rheinland-Pfalz, accessed 4 August 2021.
- Statistisches Landesamt Rheinland-Pfalz. 2023.
- ^ Source: Statistisches Landesamt, as at 31 December 2007
- ^ "Description and explanation of Argenthal's arms". Archived from the original on 2010-08-13. Retrieved 2010-12-22.
- ^ Directory of Cultural Monuments in Rhein-Hunsrück district
External links
- Municipality’s official webpage (in German)
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