Friedrichsthal

Friedrichsthal today has about 11,000 inhabitants and lies 396 meters above sea level.

Friedrichsthal was first documented in 1723, when Count Friedrich-Ludwig granted permission to build a glassworks. The heating of these glass smelters by the local coal, which was introduced later, favored the development of the glass industry; mining in turn stimulated the development of the entire region. In Friedrichsthal, the Helene mine was sunk in 1857 as the first pit. The last glassworks was closed in 1926. Coal mining was stopped in 1982. In the end, what was important for us was the watch industry, for Friedrichsthal it was mining.

In recent years, the city of Friedrichsthal has changed from an industrial city with the associated environmental problems to a lovable residential and commercial city with a solid environmental structure and pleasant living and housing conditions. Today, the city presents itself as a residential and commercial city surrounded by forests and with 'green lungs', which has gained a lot of attractiveness in the recent past thanks to the redevelopment of the city center.

Particularly worth seeing are:
• Rechtsschutzsaal - oldest trade union building in Germany
• the Hoferkopf panoramic view mountain
• the Saufangweiher and
• the Villingen Park

The city is also a good location for excursions to the state capital Saarbrücken, Trier and Luxembourg.

Special culinary specialties are the original Saarland Lyoner, the Schwenkbraten or many dishes with 'Grumbeere' (potatoes).

More about the town twinning:

In 1935 Villingen took over the sponsorship of Friedrichsthal-Bildstock after the Saar vote. It was sealed two years later, long with financial support and disqualified in 1946 as of National Socialist origin. After a long break, the first singing friendships developed. Soon after the annexation of the Saar region to the Federal Republic in 1957, the Villingen soccer club FC 08 became the first club to become active.

The anniversary celebration in 1987 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the town friendship can be seen as an outstanding event in the multifaceted relations. At that time almost 300 people travelled from Friedrichsthal and attended the city festival in Villingen. But also the State Garden Show in Villingen-Schwenningen in 2010 attracted numerous guests from our Saarland twin town.

Various associations and institutions of both cities have made friends due to regular visits, but also individual citizens maintain the contacts.

to the website of the city of Friedrichsthal

Back