lower and upper village respectively. Beginning in 1794, Hambuch lay under French rule. In 1814 it was assigned to the Kingdom of Prussia at the Congress of Vienna. Since 1947, it has been part of the then newly founded state of Rhineland-Palatinate. In 2005 the project Dorfakademie Hambuch, which had set itself the goal of “making life in the rural area even more attractive”, won first place in Rhineland-Palatinate's second volunteer contest, in which outstanding community projects earn recognition. Politics Municipal council The council is made up of 12 council members, who were elected by majority vote at the municipal election held on 7 June 2009, and the honorary mayor as chairman. Mayor Hambuch's mayor is Matthias Hetger. Coat of arms The municipality's arms might be described thus: Vert an abbot's staff with sudarium and ensigned with a cross bottonnée bendwise Or between, in sinister chief, a hornbeam twig couped and leafed of three and, in dexter base, an urn, both argent. Culture and sightseeing Buildings The following are listed buildings or sites in Rhineland-Palatinate’s Directory of Cultural Monuments: Saint John the Baptist’s Catholic Parish Church (Pfarrkirche St. Johannes der Täufer), Kirchstraße – aisleless church, 1847-1848, architect may have been Johann Claudius von Lassaulx; cross, 1852; graveyard, warriors’ memorial, 20th century Hauptstraße – basalt fountain, from 1859 Hauptstraße 24 – relief, Hoffmann school (?), Baroque, from 1623 Hauptstraße 36 – basalt cross, from 1719 Kirchstraße – wayside cross, from 1724 On Kreisstraße 23 – wayside cross Near the Hambucher Mühle (mill) – wayside cross, 17th century Economy and infrastructure Education Hambuch has one kindergarten and one primary school. References External links Municipality’s official webpage Cochem-Zell