Eppelheim () is a city in northern Baden-Württemberg bordering Heidelberg. It belongs to the district Rhein-Neckar-Kreis. Geography Location and neighboring communities Eppelheim is situated in the valley of the Upper Rhine southwest of the hills of the Odenwald and directly on the Bundesautobahn 5. The location of the city within the Rhein-Neckar-Kreis is almost completely surrounded by the urban district of Heidelberg. Eppelheim borders the Heidelberg boroughs of Wieblingen in the North, Pfaffengrund in the East, and Kirchheim in the South. To the West lies the municipality of Plankstadt, also within the Rhein-Neckar-Kreis. Another center in the Rhein-Neckar metropolitan region is Mannheim, about northwest of Eppelheim. Boroughs Eppelheim does not have any boroughs, but locals orient on the directions of the compass and refer to the parts of the city that way. For example, northeast Eppelheim. However, there are no exact demarcations. History Archaeological finds from the neolithic, the Bronze Age, the Iron Age, and the early Middle Ages indicate that the area where the city is located was inhabited by people for a long time. Eppelheim was first mentioned in historical documents pertaining to a grant in the year 770 in the Lorsch codex under the name Ebbelenheim. From the 11th century Eppelheim was a typical small village of the Electorate of the Palatinate. The number of inhabitants remained continuously under 150 up until the 18th century. Among the reasons for this was the destruction of Eppelheim in 1689. The village, like so many others in the area, was burned down by French troops on 28 January during the War of the Grand Alliance. Eppelheim was rebuilt and experienced a steady increase in population. In the 20th century the population boomed. The population went from 2644 in 1905 to 13,904 in 1997. The people of Eppelheim chose masonry as a career more than the average German in the 20th century. In 1908 there were over 400. Eppelheim is known in the region as a mason community. In 1998 Eppelheim was elevated to city status by the State of Baden-Württemberg. Government Municipal council The municipal council of the city of Eppelheim has 22 members. They carry the title Stadträtin/Stadtrat (city councilor female/male). Coat of arms The coat of arms in its current form was introduced in 1900. It is based on a lost seal from 1689. The coat of arms matches inescutcheon of the old coat of arms of the