development area of Dillingen and Pachten spreads. In the middle Buntsandstein mainly crumbly, easily erodible sandstone formations are developed. Above is the upper Buntsandstein (Röt Formation), which is made up of firmer sandstones bound to parts of clay or carbonate. These were won in earlier times in numerous quarries as building material. Above are Muschelkalk-Layers: The lowest shell limestone layer form sandy-clayey-limestone rocks. The middle limestone layer contains marl with gypsum and anhydrite. The upper shell limestone layer is composed of massive limestones and platy limestones with layers of marl-layers. Above these solid subsoil rocks, sediment-terraces of the rivers Saar and Prims are deposited. The different altitudes of these terraces bear testimony to different stages of the depression of the two rivers and the deposit of entrained crushed stones. The youngest deposits form the meadow-clay of the two river valleys. Morphology In the territory of Dillingen is the confluence of the two river valleys of Saar and Prims. The Prims finish their 91 kilometer run here. The terrain height at the mouth is 177 m above sea level. East of the Saar occurs on both banks of Prims the middle Buntsandstein. It is widely worn and forms a flat wavy stepped landscape. The areas are covered by broad terraced fields of gravel and clay. Mineralogy Almost all rocks occurring in the Dillingen area can be used economically. The friable rocks of the middle Buntsandstein were mined as sand in pits or slope edges. The firmer sandstones of the upper Buntsandstein (Röt Formation) provided breakage and quarry stones. Gravel was extracted from the terraces. Loam was used as brick material. Climate The climate in Dillingen is moderately oceanic, but warm. There is significant rainfall throughout the year. Even the driest month still shows high rainfall. The average annual temperature is 9.7 °C. Neighboring communities The city of Dillingen has six neighboring municipalities. Clockwise are these Beckingen, Nalbach with the districts Bierbach and Nalbach, Saarwellingen, Saarlouis (with the district of Roden), Wallerfangen and Rehlingen-Siersburg. History The importance of the Dillingen-Wallerfangen area on both banks of the middle Saar in the prehistoric and early historic eras is attested by a number of finds: rich bronze caskets of the late Urnfield period (9th century BC), a multi-tiered partial defensive wall (:de:Abschnittsbefestigung) of the Hallstatt culture (8th-6th century BC) on the nearly -high, peninsula-like massif of the Limberg overlooking the Saar, and a cemetery with