Mittenaar | ||
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Coordinates: 50°42′N 08°23′E / 50.700°N 8.383°ECoordinates: 50°42′N 08°23′E / 50.700°N 8.383°E | ||
Country | Germany | |
State | Hesse | |
Admin. region | Gießen | |
District | Lahn-Dill-Kreis | |
Government | ||
• Mayor | Hermann Steubing (SPD) | |
Area | ||
• Total | 35.17 km2 (13.58 sq mi) | |
Elevation | 342 m (1,122 ft) | |
Population (2015-12-31) | ||
• Total | 4,850 | |
• Density | 140/km2 (360/sq mi) | |
Time zone | CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) | |
Postal codes | 35756 | |
Dialling codes | 02772 (Bicken, Ballersbach) und 02778 (Offenbach) und 06444 (Bellersdorf) | |
Vehicle registration | LDK | |
Website | www.mittenaar.de |
Mittenaar is a community in the Lahn-Dill-Kreis in Hesse, Germany.
Mittenaar lies in the Lahn-Dill Highland.
On Mittenaar's 3 518 ha live more than 5,000 people. About 45 km of roads connect the various centres. More than half the municipal area is wooded.
Mittenaar borders in the north on the community of Siegbach, in the northeast on the community of Bischoffen, in the east on the community of Hohenahr, in the southeast on the town of Aßlar, in the south on the community of Ehringshausen, in the southwest on the community of Sinn, and in the west on the town of Herborn (all in the Lahn-Dill-Kreis).
The community consists of the centres of Ballersbach, Bellersdorf, Bicken (administrative seat) and Offenbach.
The community of Mittenaar came into being on 1 January 1972 with the merger of the formerly independent municipalities of Ballersbach, Bicken and Offenbach. Bellersdorf was amalgamated on 1 April 1972.
Ballersbach had its first documentary mention in 1270. The Ballersbach Church (Capelle zu Ballersbach) was also most likely built in this time. That the chapel had some special importance can clearly be seen in the much bigger village of Seelbach being placed under it.
Ballersbach grew together over time from two centres, one around the Baalerstaa (Balder- or Baldurstein; "Baldur Stone") and the other to the south.
About 1500, the church was painted with wonderful frescoes that eventually disappeared over time.
In the Thirty Years' War, the village was stricken with the then incurable Plague, which took 165 lives. In this dreadful time, only 85 villagers survived. It was more than one hundred years before Ballersbach recovered from this catastrophe.
In 1912 the church was heavily damaged when it was struck by lightning. As the church was being renovated, however, the frescoes came back to light. The pictures show, symbolically, mankind's history and Christianity's beginnings in a series of individual pictures.