Rathskirchen
{{Infobox German location
|image_coa = DEU Rathskirchen COA.svg
| image_skyline = {{multiple image
| total_width = 280
| border = infobox
| perrow = 2
| caption_align = center
| image1 = Protest. Kirche Hauptstr. 27 Rathskirchen.jpg
| caption1 = Rathskirchen
| image2 = Prot. Kirche Kirchenstr.12 Rudolphskirchen.jpg
| caption2 = Rudolphskirchen
}}
|coordinates = {{coord|49|36|48.02|N|7|43|18.17|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|image_plan = Rathskirchen in KIB.svg
|state = Rheinland-Pfalz
|district = Donnersbergkreis
|Verbandsgemeinde = Nordpfälzer Land
|elevation = 290
|area = 5.12
|postal_code = 67744
|area_code = 06364
|licence = KIB
|Gemeindeschlüssel = 07 3 33 201
|divisions = 3
|website =
|mayor = Matthias Heckmann
|leader_term = 2024–29
|party =
}}
Rathskirchen is a municipality in the Donnersbergkreis district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Geography
Rathskirchen is located in the North Palatine Uplands, west of the Donnersberg, in the valley of the Hahnenbach stream. The nearest significant cities are Bad Kreuznach and Kaiserslautern.
The municipality is made up of the two villages of Rathskirchen and Rudolphskirchen and the hamlet of Bösodenbacherhof.Statistisches Landesamt Rheinland-Pfalz (Hrsg.): [https://www.statistik.rlp.de/fileadmin/dokumente/berichte/A/1132/A1132_202201_ur_G.pdf#page=136 Amtliches Verzeichnis der Gemeinden und Gemeindeteile.] Stand: February 2022. {{p.|139}} (PDF; 3.3 MB).
Neighbouring municipalities are Nußbach, Teschenmoschel, Dörrmoschel, Imsweiler, Reichsthal, Seelen and Hefersweiler.
History
After the War of the First Coalition Rathskirchen and Rudolphskirchen were occupied and later annexed by France with the Treaty of Campo Formio in 1797. From 1798 to 1814 they belonged to the French Departement du Mont-Tonnerre. After the Congress of Vienna the region was first given to Austria (1815) and later to Bavaria (1816).
After World War II the two villages became part of Rhineland-Palatinate (1946).
In 1969 the two independent villages of Rathskirchen (pop. 178) and Rudolphskirchen (pop. 80) formed the new municipality of Rathskirchen.
In 1972 the municipality switched from Kusel district to the Donnersbergkreis district.
Politics
=Mayor=
Matthias Heckmann is the mayor of Rathskirchen since 2024.
His predecessor Oskar Stark held the office since 1994.{{cite web|access-date=2021-12-10 |date=2019-04-04 |publisher=Rheinpfalz Verlag und Druckerei GmbH & Co. KG, Ludwigshafen |title=Einige Urgesteine nehmen ihren Hut |url=https://www.rheinpfalz.de/lokal/donnersbergkreis_artikel,-einige-urgesteine-nehmen-ihren-hut-_arid,1419591.html |website=Die Rheinpfalz}}
=Heraldry=
The coat of arms shows a church, an argent anchor on vert (Dominion of Reipoltskirchen) and an argent wheel on azure (County of Falkenstein).
Infrastructure
The nearest highway exit is located along A63 in Winnweiler, 19 km (12 mi) southeast of Rathskirchen.
Bus line 912 of the VRN serves both villages and connects them to Rockenhausen, where a train station is located.{{cite web|access-date=2025-02-13 |publisher=Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Neckar GmbH |title=Liniennetzplan Donnersbergkreis |url=https://www.vrn.de/mam/liniennetz/liniennetzplaene/dokumente/schematisch/donnersbergkreis_schematisch.pdf |website=vrn.de}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Cities and towns in Donnersbergkreis (district)}}
{{Authority control}}