Saarbr�cken is the capital of the state of Saarland in Germany. The city is situated at the heart of a metropolitan area that borders Dillingen to the west and Neunkirchen, where most of the people of the Saarland live, to the north-east.
Saarbr�cken used to be the industrial and transport centre of a great coal basin. Products included iron and steel, sugar, beer, pottery, optical instruments, machinery, and construction materials. However, over the past decades the industrial importance of Saarland has declined, as the mining industry has become unprofitable.
Historic landmarks in the city include the stone bridge across the Saar (1546), the Gothic church of St Arnual, the 18th-century Saarbr�cker Schloss (castle) and the old part of the town, the St. Johanner Markt. In 1815 Saarbr�cken came under Prussian control, and for two periods in the 20th century (1919�35 and 1945�57) it was part of the Saar territory under French administration. For this reason, coupled with its proximity to the French border, it retains a certain French influence
