Kaiserslautern, city, southwestern Germany, in Rhineland-Palatinate, on the Lauter River. Manufactures include iron and steel, textiles, machinery, and motor vehicles. A university (1970) is here. Kaiserslautern, founded by the 9th century, was a royal residence under Charlemagne and remained an imperial city until 1357. It has been the scene of many military engagements; the castle built by Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I in 1152 was destroyed by the French in 1713. Population (1997) 101,910.
