Kaiserslautern is a city in southwest Germany, located in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate at the edge of the Palatinate Forest. The historic centre dates to the 9th century. It is 459 kilometres from Paris, 117 km from Frankfurt am Main, 666 kilometers from Berlin, and 159 km from Luxembourg.
Kaiserslautern is home to about 100,000 people. Additionally, approximately 45,000 NATO military personnel inhabit the city and its surrounding district, and contribute approximately US$1 billion annually to the local economy. The city is also home to football club 1. FC Kaiserslautern that has won the German championship four times.