:Altenkirchen (district)

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{{Infobox District DE

| name=Altenkirchen

| image_flag=Flagge Landkreis Altenkirchen.svg

| image_coa=DEU Landkreis Altenkirchen COA.svg

| state=Rhineland-Palatinate

| capital=Altenkirchen

| area=642

| Kreisschlüssel = 07132

| district_admin = Peter Enders

| admin_party = CDU

| carsign=AK

| url=[http://www.kreis-altenkirchen.de kreis-altenkirchen.de]

| map={{Germany district OSM map |parent_subdivision = Q1200}}

}}

Altenkirchen ({{IPA|de|ˈaltn̩ˌkɪʁçn̩|-|Altenkirchen.ogg}}) is a district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the North Rhine-Westphalian districts Rhein-Sieg, Oberbergischer Kreis, Olpe and Siegen-Wittgenstein, and the districts of Westerwaldkreis and Neuwied.

History

The history of the district is linked with the Westerwald region.

The district was established in 1816 by the Prussian administration. It combined the county of Wildenburg and the two counties of Sayn. The former had been part of Berg, the latter ones had belonged to the duchy of Nassau.

The county used to be divided into nine mayoralties, including the Bürgermeisterei Weyerbusch.

Geography

Altenkirchen is the northernmost district of Rhineland-Palatinate. It is occupied by the northern portions of the Westerwald mountains. The valley of the river Sieg borders the Westerwald on the north. The lands north of the Sieg are called Wildenburgisches Land, after the tiny county of Wildenburg, that once existed here.

Coat of arms

The coat of arms displays:

Top left: The golden lion of the county of Sayn, which occupied the territory in the 12th century
Top right: The symbol of the tiny county of Wildenburg, which existed until 1806 in the very north of the district
Bottom: The black and red cross is a combination of the bishops' emblems of Cologne and Trier

Towns and municipalities

{{Imagemap Germany district AK|Verbandsgemeinden in AK.svg|300px{{!}}thumb{{!}}Clickable map of towns and municipalities in the district}}

colspan=4\|Verbandsgemeinden
valign=top	*1. Altenkirchen-Flammersfeld Almersbach Altenkirchen^{1, 2} Bachenberg Berod bei Hachenburg Berzhausen Birnbach Bürdenbach Burglahr Busenhausen Eichelhardt Eichen Ersfeld Eulenberg Fiersbach Flammersfeld Fluterschen Forstmehren Gieleroth Giershausen Güllesheim Hasselbach Helmenzen Helmeroth Hemmelzen Heupelzen Hilgenroth Hirz-Maulsbach Horhausen Idelberg Ingelbach Isert Kescheid Kettenhausen	# Kircheib Kraam Krunkel Mammelzen Mehren Michelbach Neitersen Niedersteinebach Obererbach Oberirsen Oberlahr Obersteinebach Oberwambach Ölsen Orfgen Peterslahr Pleckhausen Racksen Reiferscheid Rettersen Rott Schöneberg Schürdt Seelbach Seifen Sörth Stürzelbach Volkerzen Walterschen Werkhausen Weyerbusch Willroth Wölmersen Ziegenhain	* 2. Betzdorf-Gebhardshain Alsdorf Betzdorf^{1, 2} Dickendorf Elben Elkenroth Fensdorf Gebhardshain Grünebach Kausen Malberg Molzhain Nauroth Rosenheim Scheuerfeld Steinebach/Sieg Steineroth Wallmenroth 3. Daaden-Herdorf Daaden¹ Derschen Emmerzhausen Friedewald Herdorf² Mauden Niederdreisbach Nisterberg Schutzbach Weitefeld	* 4. Hamm Birkenbeul Bitzen Breitscheidt Bruchertseifen Etzbach Forst Fürthen Hamm (Sieg)¹ Niederirsen Pracht Roth Seelbach bei Hamm 5. Kirchen Brachbach Friesenhagen Harbach Kirchen^{1, 2} Mudersbach Niederfischbach 6. Wissen Birken-Honigsessen Hövels Katzwinkel Mittelhof Selbach Wissen^{1, 2}
colspan=4 align=center\|¹seat of the Verbandsgemeinde; ²town

colspan=4|Verbandsgemeinden

valign=top

*1. Altenkirchen-Flammersfeld