which in its current form dates from 1865–1866, while near the former southeastern town gate, the Obertor ("Upper Gate") stands the Catholic church, which was consecrated in 1853. Further important buildings on Hauptstraße are the former bursary office from 1897 (on the far side of the river Glan, and today a police inspectorate) and the town hall from 1829. Parallel to Hauptstraße, running southwest to the Lauter, is Schlossgasse ("Palace Lane"), formerly known as Untere Gasse ("Lower Lane"), which leads from the Veldenzturm ("Veldenz Tower") along the former town wall to the historic Rheingrafenbrücke ("Rhinegrave’s Bridge"). The beginning of this street also marks the former palace area, which stretched on down to Hauptstraße. One important street, which branches off Hauptstraße near the Evangelical church in the old town towards the eastern slope, is Bergstraße ("Mountain Street"). Still preserved on the lands of the former graveyard on the Igelskopf ("Hedgehog’s Head" – a mountain) is the imposing warriors’ memorial. A new graveyard was laid out in the town's northeast. As early as the late 18th century, Lauterecken was growing beyond the area within the fortifications. In the southwest, the centre of Überlauterecken, already an independent municipality by the Middle Ages, was swallowed up into the spreading town. Originally, this Stadtteil could only be reached across the Rheingrafenbrücke, but nowadays it can be reached by way of a better street, Schillerstraße, and across the Schillerbrücke. Further expansions arose in the town's south end along Lauterstraße, a street that can be considered a southeastward extension of Hauptstraße, and more recently, new developments have taken in the area between Lauterstraße and the road that leads to Cronenberg. In the north end, off Hauptstraße, Herrenstraße ("Lord’s Street") and Schulstraße ("School Street") were built. Standing on the latter are the former Amt courthouse and, of course, the old schoolhouse, which nowadays houses the elementary school. Likewise in this part of Lauterecken, somewhat off to the side of this street, the modern Verbandsgemeinde administration building was built sometime after 1970. Farther on towards the mountain, stretching in a thoroughly loose pattern, is a major housing development. To the north, Hauptstraße meets Saarbrücker Straße beyond the Glan and the railway line. Also known as Bundesstraße 420, this is a busy highway. Before Hauptstraße meets this road, though, Bahnhofstraße ("Railway Station Street") branches off northeastwards to the post office and, of course, the railway station, from which trains run