Argenthal is an '' Ortsgemeinde'' – a municipality belonging to a '' Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis ( district) in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' Simmern-Rheinböllen, whose seat is in Simmern.

Geography

Location

Argenthal lies on the northwest edge of the Soonwald, a heavily wooded section of the west-central

Hunsrück The Hunsrück () is a long, triangular, pronounced upland in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is bounded by the valleys of the Moselle-Saar (north-to-west), the Nahe (south), and the Rhine (east). It is continued by the Taunus mountains, past ...

, which reaches an elevation of 657 m above sea level and is part of the

Rhenish Massif The Rhenish Massif, Rhine Massif or Rhenish Uplands (german: Rheinisches Schiefergebirge, : 'Rhenish Slate Uplands') is a geologic massif in western Germany, eastern Belgium, Luxembourg and northeastern France. It is drained centrally, south to n ...

. Major centres in the nearby area are Simmern to the west and

Rheinböllen Rheinböllen is a town in the Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis (district) in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' Simmern-Rheinböllen, whose seat is in Simmern. It was the seat of the former ''Verbandsgemeinde'' Rheinböl ...

to the east. 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

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.

History

In 1091, the municipality had its first documentary mention as ''Argantal''. The overlord was the Count Palatine of the Rhine. Beginning in 1794, Argenthal lay under

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

rule. In 1815 it was assigned to the Kingdom of Prussia at the Congress of Vienna. Since 1946, it has been part of the then newly founded state of Rhineland-Palatinate.

Population development

The following table shows the development of Argenthal’s population (figures for 31 December each time):

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:

Mayor

Argenthal's mayor is Hans-Werner Merg.

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 Arms or ARMS may refer to: *Arm or arms, the upper limbs of the body Arm, Arms, or ARMS may also refer to: People * Ida A. T. Arms (1856–1931), American missionary-educator, temperance leader Coat of arms or weapons *Armaments or weapons **Fi ...

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.

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, sandstone pillar 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 centuryDirectory of Cultural Monuments in Rhein-Hunsrück district
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Sport and leisure

In the summer, the municipality and its outlying area offers hiking and cycling in the vast Soonwald and swimming and recreation at the Waldsee. In the winter, the Schanzerkopf with its sledding slope is a popular outing destination, especially for families with children.

Economy and infrastructure

The well developed local infrastructure and the short distance to the district seat of Simmern and Frankfurt-Hahn Airport, which is currently enjoying an upswing, favour the municipality as a living place, as do the links to '' Bundesstraße'' 50 and the Autobahn A 61 leading to the state capital, Mainz, and the Frankfurt Rhine Main Region. In 1996, ''Bundesstraße'' 50 was widened and also realigned so that it now no longer runs through the village, but rather bypasses it as a four-lane highway.

References

External links

Municipality’s official webpage
{{Authority control Municipalities in Rhineland-Palatinate Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis