Kaiserslautern's history stretches back to an 800 B.C. settlement. Romans occupied the area by 250 B.C. During the 5th or 6th century A.D. the Franconians settled in the area, and a Frankish monarch erected the area's first fortress in 622 A.D.
After more than 60 percent of the city was destroyed in World War II, it was rebuilt during the 1960s, establishing a modern city.
From 1950 to 1955, 7,000-acre Ramstein Airbase developed into the largest American military complex outside the United States. Today, about 38,000 Americans live in and around Kaiserslautern.
Five research facilities make their home in Kaiserslautern, with two more on the way: the Max Planck Institute and the University of the Saarland/Saarbrücke.
The city is close to original Roman vineyards, and has a zoo, Japanese gardens, the Palatine Gallery and a historic section: Kaiserslautern Old Town. It is also close to historic castles.
