SAARLOUIS

city, Saarland Land (state), southwestern Germany. It lies along both sides of the Saar River, near the French border, northwest of Saarbrcken. Founded and named by Louis XIV of France in 1680 and fortified by the military engineer Sbastien de Le Prestre Vauban (168086), it became the capital of the French Sarre province. The site of an important arms works in the Napoleonic era, it was ceded to Prussia in 1815, and the fortress was razed in 1889, although remnants survive. From 1936 to 1945 the town was called Saarlautern. Largely destroyed during World War II, it has been rebuilt. Saarlouis is situated on the fringe of the Saar coalfield and has important iron and steel works. Pop. (1989 est.) 37,662.