IdarOberstein

Idar-Oberstein is a town in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, in the district of Birkenfeld. It lies in the Nahe valley at the western edge of the Hunsrück mountains and is formed by the two historic towns Idar and Oberstein, which merged in the 20th century.

Historically, the area has a long association with gemstone mining and lapidary work; agate, jasper, and other decorative stones have been worked in the region since the Middle Ages and beyond, contributing to a regional trade in finished gems and jewelry.

Today the local economy is anchored by gemstone processing and jewelry manufacture, with many workshops that cut and polish stones, set jewelry, and supply international markets. The town also hosts museums devoted to its gem heritage, including the Deutsches Edelsteinmuseum (German Gem Museum) and the Schmuckmuseum Idar-Oberstein, which present historical and contemporary examples of gemstone cutting and jewellery.

Monuments and landscape: The historic center retains many traditional timber-framed houses on narrow streets, and the surrounding countryside features rocky outcrops and quarried sites associated with the stone trade. The town has several castle ruins and vantage points above the Nahe valley.

Transport: Idar-Oberstein is connected by rail on the Nahe valley line and by regional roads, providing access to larger towns in the region.

Population and administration: It is part of the Birkenfeld district; administration is centralized in the Idar-Oberstein municipality.