Saarland

Saarland is located in the south western part of Germany. The state comprises an area of just 2,570 square kilometers and a population of 1,012,000, making it the smallest state in the country both in terms of population as well as area. The capital of Saarland is located at Saarbrücken.

History

Saarland owes its existence to the League of Nations. The territory, which did not exist before the outbreak of WW1 as some parts belonged to Prussia while others to Bavaria, was created by the League of Nations after the end of the Great War as the Territory of the Saar Basin. A referendum was held in 1935 where the inhabitants of the region overwhelmingly voted to rejoin Germany. Following the end of the Second World War, the region was separated from the rest of Germany and placed under french protection. It remained a French-occupied territory from 1947 to 1956. In a referendum that was held, people living in the region were offered independence while staying in economic union with France. However, its rejection by voters indicated that they chose to reunite with West Germany.

Places to visit in Saarland

There are numerous places of attractions that one can visit in Saarland. Some of them are: Get to know all about Dinosaurs by visiting the exciting museum Gondwana – Das Praehistorium; Montclair Castle, a medieval castle abandoned in 1606; Saarland State Theater; Abbey Park, a nice place to spend a day with your family; St. Joseph’s Chapel; Wolfspark Merzig, take a look at the wolves from different habitats from around the world. These are some of the interesting tourist attractions of the place.

How to get to Saarland

Some of the airports that are either located in or in close proximity to Saarland and offer flights to other German states as well as countries around the world are Saarbrücken, Luxembourg and Hahn. The state is well-connected by rail and if you are coming from beyond the borders of Germany, then hop on to the high-speed ICE/TGV trains which ply between Paris and Frankfurt and make a stop at Saarbrücken. However, if you are traveling to Saarland from some other German state, then you can take an IC and ICE trains from cities such as Dresden, Mannheim, Munich, among others.