Wikipedia:WikiProject Germany/Portal:Thuringia/Towns and Cities
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In Thuringia there is a total of 127 towns and cities, of which 32 have over 10,000 inhabitants. This list is intended to give a short overview of the largest towns and cities in the state, including the most important facts. Many of Thuringia‘s towns were the residence of a small principality until 1920, and large castles may still be seen today in many of these places. There were also 3 free imperial towns and cities (Erfurt, Mühlhausen and Nordhausen), of which Mühlhausen and Erfurt still have medieval-influenced centre. In Thuringia there are three cities (Erfurt, Jena and Gera), and 32 major towns, which are divided into six independent boroughs(‘’kreisfreie Städte’’) and 17 rural districts (‘’Landkreise’’).
| Town and coat of arms |
Brief description | Population (as at 31 Dec 2010) |
Status (on German Wikipedia) | Image |
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Erfurt
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Erfurt is the largest city in Thuringia and is also the state capital. As a result it is the headquarters of many important authorities and one of the three Thuringian "major centres" (Oberzentren). Erfurt is over 1,250 years old and has a largely preserved medieval city centre. Its most famous sights are the Krämer Bridge and cathedral hill crowned by Erfurt Cathedral and St. Severus' Church. Erfurt is also the most important transport hub in Thuringia, with the states largest railway station and largest airport. | 204,994 | Erfurt 
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Jena
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Jena is the second largest city in Thuringia. In addition it functions as a "major centre" alongside Erfurt and Gera. Jena's is an important economic centre and is thus the east German city with the lowest jobless figures (about 10%). The city's industry is dominated by technology-focussed firms. These have a long tradition in Jena: for example for over 100 years, firms like Carl Zeiss or the Schott Glassworks have been based here. In 1913 the first flats were built in Jena. In 1969 the Jen Tower became the highest block of flats in Thuringia. Jena has had a university since the end of the Middle Ages; today it is named after Friedrich Schiller and provides higher education for about 20,000 students. | 105,129 | Jena
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Gera
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Gera is the Thuringia's third biggest settlement and the centre of East Thuringia. The town is also a "major centre" and hence the seat of many regional authorities. Until 1920, Gera was the capital of the Principality of Reuss and the Republic of Reuss. Between 1952 and 1990 Gera was the county town of the district of Gera, which covered most of East Thuringia (less Altenburg). The town is also an industrial centre, albeit having to cope today with economic and demographic problems. | 99,262 | Gera |  |
Weimar
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Weimar may only be the fourth-largest settlement in Thuringia, but is the best-known overseas. The reason goes back to the status of the town before the Second World War when it was the capital of Thuringia from 1920 to 1945. Hitherto, since 1552, it had been the capital of the greatest Thuringian state, Saxe-Weimar, later Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. Weimar was the heart of German art and culture in the 18th and 19th centuries. This was due to the court, which time and again brought important artists, musicians and writers to Weimar. The best-known of these are Goethe and Schiller. In 1999, the town was named as the cultural capital of Europe. Weimar is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. | 65,479 | Weimar |  |
Gotha
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Gotha is the fifth largest place in Thuringia and lies, like all its larger counterparts, on the Thuringian Urban Chain (Thüringer Städtekette). Until 1920 Gotha was the capital of Saxe-Gotha; numerous buildings bear witness to its erstwhile status today, including Friedenstein Palace. In the last 70 years, however, Gotha's importance has waned. Its heyday was roughly between 1850 and 1920. It was the town where the German Socialist Party (the SPD) was founded in 1875. The first German insurance company, the Gothaer was also founded in Gotha. In addition, the town was an important publishing centre. That was largely due to Justus Perthes. Today Gotha is the county town of the most densely populated county in Thuringia, the district of Gotha. | 45,593 | Gotha |  |