the same time, the city Blieskastel was extended to surrounding communities. Blieskastel has been an officially-recognized Kneipp spa resort since 1978. Culture and points of interest Attractions The historic city center with the Blieskastel Town Hall (built in the 18th century as a government building and orphanage), the Hercules Fountain of 1691 and the Napoleon Fountain ("Schlangenbrunnen"–Snake Fountain) from 1804, is largely in the Baroque style, which also includes the houses of the court officials on the Schlossberg. These, especially the so-called "Schlößchen" of 1776/77, are the work of the Zweibrücken building director Christian Ludwig Hautt. Altogether, the historic area of Old Blieskastel comprises 133 individual monuments and a further 65 buildings under ensemble protection. The city is located on the SaarPfalz Baroque Route. Above the city once stood the castle, which was largely destroyed during the French Revolution. Only the 17th century "Orangerie" was preserved. The building originally had twelve arches, and was restored from 1982 to 1986 and is used for lectures, exhibitions and concerts. West of the former castle grounds is the former monastery church of Franciscan Recollects, built from 1776 to 1778 and today a Catholic parish church. From 1778 to 1793 the church filled the role of a "castle church" and is now colloquially known as the "Schlosskirche". The church was designed by a Franciscan builder named Minder, the construction was led by the Count's Inspector Peter Reheis. Further north on the "Han" is the pilgrimage monastery of Blieskastel, supervised since 2005 by the Franciscan Minorites. In the Holy Cross Chapel at the pilgrimage monastery there is, since 1827, a baroque painting of "Our Lady with the Arrows", which was transferred in 1786 from Gräfinthal to Blieskastel. This image is a unique 14th-century pietà (vesper image), in which there are five iron medieval arrowheads. According to legend the arrows were shot in by sinners. The chapel, in which a relic of the True Cross was originally venerated, dates from 1682/83. On a southern hill is a neo-baroque Protestant church built in 1912. The landmark of the city is the 4000 year old Gollenstein, which is considered to be the largest menhir in Central Europe at . It stands on the ridge at Blieskastel. Twin towns – sister cities Blieskastel is twinned with: Le Creusot, France (1989) Castellabate, Italy (2008) Notable people Andreas Öchsner (born 1970), professor, head of discipline, in mechanical engineering at Griffith University