Bad Dürkheim (district)


Bad Dürkheim is a district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Kaiserslautern, Donnersbergkreis and Alzey-Worms, the city of Worms, the Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis, the city of Neustadt/Weinstraße, the districts of Südliche Weinstraße, the city of Landau, the district Südwestpfalz, and the city of Kaiserslautern.

History

The eastern rim of the Palatinate forest has been densely populated since the Middle Ages. Several medieval castles show the significance of the region during the early Holy Roman Empire.
The district was established in 1969 by combining portions of the former districts of Neustadt and Frankenthal.

Dialect

The dialect of Bad Dürkheim and environs is closer to the Pennsylvania Dutch language—also known as Pennsylvania German or as Deitsch, the native tongue of the Amish and others—than any other dialect of German.

Geography

The district is located on the eastern rim of the Palatinate Forest a line of hills called the Haardt. The German Wine Road, a scenic road along the best vineyards of the Palatinate wine region, runs through the district from north to south. The district is sometimes called "the heart of the Palatinate".
The best wine-growing area is the Mittelhaardt, where the Riesling wine is cultivated, which is considered to be one of the best German wines.

Coat of arms

Towns and municipalities