Merzig, Saarland, Germany

🇩🇪 Merzig is a town in Saarland, Germany. It is the capital of the district Merzig-Wadern, and contains 17 municipalities. It is situated on the river Saar, approx. 35 km south of Trier, and 35 km north-west of Saarbrücken.

Subdivisions Merzig was created in 1974 as part of the territorial reform in Saarland. The present-day town consists of the previous town of Merzig and 16 surrounding former municipalities: Merzig; Ballern; Besseringen; Bietzen; Brotdorf; Büdingen; Fitten; Harlingen; Hilbringen; Mechern; Menningen; Merchingen; Mondorf; Schwemlingen; Silwingen; Weiler; Wellingen.

Culture: Museums • Expeditionary Museum Werner Freund • Fine mechanical museum in the Fellenbergmühle • Museum of Local History in Fellenberg Castle • B-Werk Besseringen • Saarland Psychiatric Museum.

Buildings • Church of St. Peter • Historic townhouse („Altes Rathaus“) • Diverse baroque buildings such as Halfenhaus, Staadt-Marx's Bürgerhaus, Hilbringer Schlösschen, Abteihof Besseringen ("Zehnt-Haus"), former residence of Christian Kretzschmar in Trierer Straße (all 18th century) • Various interesting buildings of the 19th and early 20th centuries such as Villa Fuchs, Protestant church, churches in Hilbringen (St. Peter in chains) and Besseringen (Sacred Heart Church), Lothringer Hof, station, main building of the former state hospital, Art Nouveau buildings in Trierer Straße, former jam factory (previous monastery) • Various chapels worth seeing, such as St. Mary's Chapel, St. Cross Chapel, Kreuzberg Chapel, Josef Chapel, Harlinger Chapel, Old Wellinger Chapel, St. Clement Chapel (Menningen) • Seffersbach Bridge, 1901, last preserved suspension belt bridge "System Möller" in Saarland • Catholic parish church of St. Agatha (Merchingen) • Catholic parish church of St. Mary Magdalene (Brotdorf) • Catholic parish church of St. Martin (Bietzen) • Catholic parish church of St. Josef.

Parks • Bürgerpark Besseringen • Garden of the Senses on the Kreuzberg • Orchids on the Nackberg at Hilbringen • Town park.

Other attractions • B-Werk Besseringen (Westwall Bunkeranlage), on the B 51 between Merzig and Besseringen • Public indoor swimming pool „Das Bad“ • Bietzener healing spring on the B 51 in the direction of Beckingen • Public natural swimming pool Heilborn • Sculptor symposium stones at the border • Monastery St. Gangolf, between Besseringen and Mettlach • Museum railway (to Losheim) • Animal enclosure at Blättelbornweiher • Wolf enclosure in the Kammerforst • Kreuzbergkapelle with views over almost the entire city and the Merzig basin • Kletterhafen - Europe's largest free-standing climbing park.

Musical theatre Since 2012 Merzig stages musicals for two months each year, starring famous German musical actors like Uwe Kröger. The venue is a huge marquee, called 'Zeltpalast' (marquee palace). • 2012: Hairspray • 2013: Burlesque • 2014: The Addams Family, German debut • 2015: La Cage aux Folles • 2016: The Addams Family (off season production in February) • 2016: 9 to 5, German debut.