Editing Eisenach

{{Short description|Town in Thuringia, Germany}}
{{Other uses}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2014}}
{{Infobox German place
|type               = Stadt
|image_flag         = Hissflagge Eisenach.svg
|image_coa          = Wappen Eisenach.svg
|image_photo        = Eisenach von Göpelskuppel.jpg
|image_caption      = View over Eisenach with [[Wartburg|Wartburg castle]] to the left
|coordinates        = {{coord|50|58|34|N|10|19|14|E|type:city(42,000)_region:DE-TH|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|image_plan         = Eisenach in WAK.png
|plantext           = Location of Eisenach within Wartburgkreis
|state              = Thüringen
|district           = Wartburgkreis
|elevation          = 215
|area               = 104.17
|postal_code        = 99817
|area_code          = 03691, 036920, 036928
|licence            = WAK, EA
|Gemeindeschlüssel  = 16 0 63 105
|divisions          = 11
|website            = [https://www.eisenach.de/ www.eisenach.de]
|mayor              = Christoph Ihling<ref>[https://wahlen.thueringen.de/datenbank/wahl1/wahl.asp?wahlart=BM&wJahr=0000&zeigeErg=LAND&auswertung=2 Gewählte Bürgermeister - aktuelle Landesübersicht], Freistaat Thüringen. Retrieved 25 June 2024.</ref>
|leader_term       = 2024&ndash;30
|party              = CDU
}}

'''Eisenach''' ({{IPA|de|ˈaɪzənax|-|De-Eisenach.ogg}}) is a [[Town#Germany|town]] in [[Thuringia]], [[Germany]] with 42,000 inhabitants, located {{convert|50|km|0|abbr=off}} west of [[Erfurt]], {{convert|70|km|0|abbr=in}} southeast of [[Kassel]] and {{convert|150|km|0|abbr=in}} northeast of [[Frankfurt]]. It is the main urban centre of western Thuringia and bordering northeastern [[Hesse|Hessian]] regions, situated near the former [[Inner German border]]. A major attraction is [[Wartburg]] castle, which has been a [[UNESCO World Heritage Site]] since 1999.

Eisenach was an early capital of Thuringia in the 12th and 13th centuries. St.{{nbsp}}[[Elizabeth of Hungary|Elizabeth]] lived at the court of the [[Ludowingians]] here between 1211 and 1228. Later, [[Martin Luther]] came to Eisenach and translated the [[Luther Bible|Bible]] into German. In 1685, [[Johann Sebastian Bach]] was born here. During the [[early modern period]], Eisenach was a residence of the Ernestine [[House of Wettin|Wettins]] and was visited by numerous representatives of [[Weimar classicism]] like [[Johann Wolfgang Goethe]].<ref name="Klauss"/>{{rp|22–25}} In 1869, the [[Social Democratic Workers' Party of Germany|SDAP]], one of the two precursors of the [[Social Democratic Party of Germany]] (SPD) was founded in Eisenach.

Car production is an important industry in Eisenach. The ''[[Automobilwerk Eisenach]]'' was founded in 1896. In the [[German Democratic Republic]], the [[Wartburg (car)|Wartburg]] was produced here, before the factory was acquired by [[Opel Eisenach|Opel]] in 1990.

Eisenach is situated on the [[Hörsel]] river, a tributary of the [[Werra]] between the [[Thuringian Forest]] in the south, the [[Hainich]] mountains in the north-east and the [[East Hesse Highlands]] in the north-west. Since January 2021, it is part of the [[Wartburgkreis]].<ref>[http://www.parldok.thueringen.de/ParlDok/dokument/72572/gesetz_und_verordnungsblatt_nr_12_2019.pdf Thüringer Gesetz- und Verordnungsblatt Nr. 12/2019], pages 429–434. Retrieved 3 November 2022.</ref>

==History==
[[File:Nikolaikirche and Nikoliator.jpg|thumb|left|Nikolaikirche (left) and Nikolaitor (right)]]

=== Middle Ages ===
Eisenach's origin and early history is unknown. An 8th century Frankish settlement near Petersberg hill is regarded as the nucleus of Eisenach. However, there are no written sources about that early period. According to legend, [[Louis the Springer]] began in 1067 to establish [[Wartburg]] castle above the settlement.<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|139}}

In 1080, the castle was first mentioned in a Saxon chronicle. Eisenach itself followed in a document dating to 1150 where it was referred to as "Isinacha".<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|139}} During the 1180s, the town was established by the construction of three independent market settlements around the Saturday's market (today's Karlsplatz), the Wednesday's market (today's Frauenplan) and the Monday's market (today's Marktplatz). Due to its convenient location at a bottleneck between the [[Thuringian Forest]] in the south and the [[Hainich]] mountains in the north, Eisenach benefitted from substantial west-east trade along [[Via Regia]] from [[Frankfurt]] to [[Erfurt]] and [[Leipzig]] and became a rich merchant town. During the second half of the 12th century, the town walls were erected (the Nikolaitor is an important relict of this wall) and Eisenach got a planned grid of streets and alleys. In the late 12th century, the Wartburg became the main residence of the [[Ludowingians]], making Eisenach a leading place in today's western Thuringia and northern Hesse, which also belonged to the Ludowingian landgraviate. In 1207, the legendary [[Sängerkrieg]] supposedly took place at Wartburg castle.

In 1221, St. [[Elizabeth of Hungary|Elizabeth]] married Landgrave [[Louis IV, Landgrave of Thuringia|Louis' IV]] and she lived in Eisenach or at Wartburg castle until 1228.<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|139}} Later, she became the patroness of Thuringia and Hesse.

In 1247, the Ludowingians died out which led to the [[War of the Thuringian Succession]] between the [[House of Wettin|Wettin]]s and Duchess [[Sophie of Thuringia, Duchess of Brabant|Sophie]] of [[Duchy of Brabant|Brabant]]. As a consequence, the landgraviate was divided. Eisenach and the eastern parts went to the Wettins (later becoming Thuringia) and [[Kassel]], [[Marburg]] and the western parts went to Sophie (later becoming Hesse). Eisenach kept a leading position among the Wettin's Thuringian cities by becoming their ''Oberhof'' (leading court), so that their law had to be derived from Eisenach's municipal law and disputes had to be resolved here. The confident citizens of Eisenach fought against the Wettin's rule to become a [[free imperial city]] between 1306 and 1308, but lost. In the 14th century various crises followed: in 1342, a big fire destroyed nearly all the buildings and the [[Black Death]] killed many inhabitants in 1349 and 1393. Since 1406, Eisenach was no longer a Wettin residence, which led to a decline in urban development. In 1485, in the "[[Treaty of Leipzig|division of Leipzig]]", the town fell to the [[Ernestine line]] of the Wettins.

=== Early-modern period ===
[[File:Eisenach-1647-Merian.jpg|thumb|Eisenach in 1647]]
Between 1498 and 1501, the young [[Martin Luther]] attended the St. George's Latin school in Eisenach in preparation for his following studies at the [[University of Erfurt]]. In 1521/22 he was hidden by [[Frederick III, Elector of Saxony|Frederick the Wise]] at Wartburg castle to protect him from the [[Imperial ban]]. In that time, Luther translated the [[New Testament]] from Greek into German, in what was an important step both for the [[German Reformation]] and the development of a consistent German standard language.

Luther referred to Eisenach as ''ein Pfaffennest'' ("a clerical backwater"), since during his time there were 300 monks and nuns per 1,000 inhabitants.<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|139}}

In 1525, there was heavy fighting in the area during the ''[[German Peasants' War|Bauernkrieg]]''.<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|139}}
In 1528, the Lutheran Reformation was implemented in Eisenach. In 1596, Eisenach became a ducal residence again for the house of [[Saxe-Eisenach]].

[[Johann Sebastian Bach]] was born in Eisenach in 1685, when it was a part of the [[Holy Roman Empire]]. His father, [[Johann Ambrosius Bach]] worked here as a musician at that time. Other famous composers and musicians associated with Eisenach during that period were [[Johann Pachelbel]], [[Johann Christoph Bach]] and [[Georg Philipp Telemann]]. As the Eisenach dukes died out in 1741, the town and the state became part of [[Saxe-Weimar]].<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|139}} Nevertheless, the cultural life stayed unimpaired. The coterie around the poet {{Interlanguage link|Julie von Bechtolsheim|de}} met up with famous personalities like [[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe]] and [[Christoph Martin Wieland]] in Eisenach.<ref name="Klauss"/>{{rp|37}}

From 1809 to 1918, Eisenach was part of the Duchy (after 1815 Grand Duchy) of [[Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach|Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach]].

=== After 1815 ===
[[File:Wartburg 1898.jpg|thumb|Car, produced in ''Automobilwerk Eisenach'' in 1898]]
[[File:Eisenach Jakobsplan 1988.jpg|thumb|Demolition of historic buildings during the 1970s and 1980s]]
In 1817, the [[Wartburg Festival]] took place in Eisenach, a meeting of students advocating moves towards a more liberal, constitutional state and a [[unification of Germany]]. The industrial revolution started relatively early in Eisenach. As early as the first half of the 19th century, the first factories were founded. In 1847, Eisenach was connected by the [[Thuringian Railway]] to [[Erfurt]] and [[Halle (Saale)|Halle]]/[[Leipzig]] in the east and in 1849 to [[Kassel]] and [[Frankfurt]] in the west. In 1858, the [[Eisenach–Lichtenfels railway|Werra Railway]] to [[Lichtenfels, Bavaria|Lichtenfels]] (and further to [[Nuremberg]]) was opened.

In August 1869, the leading socialists [[August Bebel]] and [[Wilhelm Liebknecht]] founded the [[Social Democratic Workers' Party of Germany|SDAP]], one of the two predecessors of today's [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]] in Eisenach.<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|147}} The [[Eisenach Program]] remained the party's main manifesto for the following years. The late 19th and early 20th century was the period with the fastest urban growth in Eisenach. The ''Fahrzeugfabrik Eisenach'' (FFE), later ''[[Automobilwerk Eisenach]]'', basis of car production in Eisenach, was founded in 1896, the first trams ran in 1897, the ''{{Interlanguage link|Burschenschaftsdenkmal|de}}'' ("fraternity monument") was erected in 1902 and the [[Bach House (Eisenach)|J. S. Bach museum]] opened in 1907. Tourists also started to arrive in this period, drawn by the pleasing landscape and the various sights within the town.

Between the 1860s and 1938, Eisenach hosted one of the largest Jewish communities in Thuringia with nearly 500 members at the beginning of the 20th century. Many Jews migrated from the [[Rhön]] area around [[Stadtlengsfeld]] to Eisenach after their [[Jewish emancipation|emancipation]] in the early 19th century. The new synagogue was built in 1885 and destroyed by the Nazis during ''[[Kristallnacht]]'' in November 1938. Most Jews emigrated at that time, others were deported to concentration camps and murdered there. During [[Nazi Germany]] the [[Institute for the Study and Elimination of Jewish Influence on German Church Life]], an antisemitic propaganda institute, was set up in Eisenach by eleven German Protestant churches, founded at the instigation of the [[German Christian movement]].

Before the [[World War II|Second World War]], [[BMW|Bayerische Motoren Werke AG]] had produced motorcycles in the town.<ref>Christopher, John. ''The Race for Hitler's X-Planes'' (The Mill, Gloucestershire: History Press, 2013), p.71.</ref> In preparation for World War II, new barracks were established in Eisenach and the car industry started the production of military equipment. After 1940, around 4,000 [[Forced labour under German rule during World War II|forced labourers]] (most of them from the [[Soviet Union]]) were pressed to work in the town's factories, where some of them died due to the bad working conditions. Postwar, the managing director of the [[BMW]] [[aircraft engine]] works, Dr Schaaf, told the Fedden Mission there were as many as 11,000 working in the town, 4,500 in a plant inside a hillside turning out [[BMW 132]] engines and parts for the [[BMW 801|801]], the rest in town.<ref>Christopher, p.71.</ref> The bombings during the war destroyed about 2,000 housing units and big parts of the car factories, as well as some historic buildings in the town centre, which were rebuilt soon after the war. The US Army arrived in Eisenach on 6 April 1945, but the Soviets took over control of the town on 1 July 1945, making it Communism's westernmost major town.

Eisenach was part of the [[GDR]] after 1949. The [[Inner German border]] ran only ten kilometres west of Eisenach and was closed in 1952, cutting off parts of Eisenach's traditional hinterland. The location near the border inhibited the further development during the next 40 years and the population declined through that period. Nevertheless, Eisenach remained an important industrial location. The [[BMW]] car factory was [[Socialization (economics)|socialized]] and under the new name [[Eisenacher Motorenwerk|EMW]] produced the [[Wartburg (car)|Wartburg]], the so-called "Mercedes of the East". The deteriorating condition of many historic houses led to a housing shortage during the 1970s. The government fought this by demolishing some historic quarters (e.g. at Jakobstraße) and rebuilding them with ''[[Plattenbau]]'' settlements. The biggest ''Plattenbau'' district was built at the northern periphery of Eisenach between 1978 and 1985 with nearly 4,000 housing units. In 1975, the tramway system was discontinued.

After [[German reunification]] in 1990, the economic situation changed. The car factory was taken over by [[Opel]], whereas many other factories were closed. On the other hand, Eisenach moved from the inner German border to the centre of the reunified country. Tourism saw significant growth and the Wartburg castle was designated a [[UNESCO World Heritage Site]] in 1999. Nevertheless, the financial situation of Eisenach remained difficult, unemployment stayed above average and car production suffered from the business problems of Opel.

== Geography and climate==
[[File:Luftbild Eisenach Altstadt Lutherstadt mit Georgenkirche Thüringen - Foto 2009 Wolfgang Pehlemann Steinberg Osttsee IMG 0488.jpg|thumb|Eisenach's town centre, viewed from the west]]

=== Topography ===
Eisenach is situated at the northern edge of the [[Thuringian Forest]], at an elevation of about 220 m. The terrain is hilly, to the south also mountainous (up to 460 m of elevation), with the central [[Hörsel]] valley crossing the town in east-western direction. The [[Nesse (Hörsel)|Nesse]] river enters the Hörsel river in Eisenach after forming a valley through the spur of the Hörselberg mountains in the eastern municipal territory. The northern territory around the Neunkirchen, Stregda and Hötzelsroda districts is relatively flat and in agricultural use. Approximately {{convert|7|km|0|abbr=on}} west of the town centre runs the wide [[Werra]] valley, where the Hörsel river enters this bigger river near Hörschel district. The southern municipal territory is covered with forest, same as some smaller parts north of the Hörsel river. The [[Hainich]] mountains begin {{convert|10|km|0|abbr=on}} north-east of Eisenach.

=== Administrative division ===
[[File:ESA Stadtteile.png|thumb|District map]]

Eisenach abuts the municipalities [[Krauthausen]], [[Mihla]], [[Lauterbach, Thuringia|Lauterbach]], [[Bischofroda]] and [[Berka vor dem Hainich]] in the north, [[Hörselberg-Hainich]] and [[Wutha-Farnroda]] in the east and [[Marksuhl]], [[Wolfsburg-Unkeroda]] and [[Gerstungen]] in the south (all situated in the district [[Wartburgkreis]]) and [[Werra-Meißner-Kreis]] ([[Hesse]], municipality of [[Herleshausen]] in the west). The municipal border between Eisenach and Herleshausen was part of the [[inner German border]]/[[Iron Curtain]] from 1949 to 1990.

The municipality of Eisenach includes beside the inner town the following rural districts (all of them were incorporated in 1994):

{{Div col|colwidth=15em}}
* Berteroda
* Göringen
* Hörschel
* Hötzelsroda
* Madelungen
* Neuenhof
* Neukirchen
* Stedtfeld
* Stockhausen
* Stregda
* [[Wartha (Eisenach)|Wartha]]
{{Div col end}}

The village of Fischbach was incorporated in 1922 and is a part of the inner town today.

=== Climate ===
Eisenach has a [[humid continental climate]] (Dfb) or an [[oceanic climate]] (''Cfb'') according to the [[Köppen climate classification]] system.<ref name = koppen>{{cite journal| last = Kottek | first = M.|author2=J. Grieser |author3=C. Beck |author4=B. Rudolf |author5=F. Rubel | title = World Map of the Köppen-Geiger climate classification updated| journal = Meteorol. Z.| volume =15 | pages =259–263| url =http://www.schweizerbart.de/resources/downloads/paper_free/55034.pdf| doi =10.1127/0941-2948/2006/0130| access-date = 22 January 2013| year =2006| issue = 3| bibcode = 2006MetZe..15..259K}}</ref><ref name=Peel>{{cite journal | author=Peel, M. C. | author2=Finlayson, B. L. | author3=McMahon, T. A. | name-list-style=amp| year=2007 | title= Updated world map of the Köppen&ndash;Geiger climate classification | journal=Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. | volume=11 | issue=5 | pages=1633–1644 |doi=10.5194/hess-11-1633-2007 | bibcode=2007HESS...11.1633P | url=http://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/11/1633/2007/hess-11-1633-2007.html | issn = 1027-5606| doi-access=free }} ''(direct: [http://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/11/1633/2007/hess-11-1633-2007.pdf Final Revised Paper])''</ref> Summers are warm and sometimes humid, winters are relatively cold. The town's topography creates a microclimate with mostly adequate air circulation along the west-eastern valley which made Eisenach a resort at the end of the 19th century. Annual precipitation is {{convert|831|mm|in|sp=us}} with moderate rainfall throughout the year. Light snowfall mainly occurs from December through February, but snow cover does not usually remain for long in the inner town valley.

== Demographics ==
[[File:Population of Eisenach.svg|thumb|upright=1.5|Evolution of population since 1830]]
Eisenach has always been one of the larger towns in Thuringia with 4,000 to 5,000 inhabitants during the Middle Ages. By 1800, the population rose to 8,000 and further to 10,000 as industrialisation started around 1850. In 1875, the town had 16,000 inhabitants, 30,000 in 1900, 43,000 in 1925 and more than 50,000 in 1940, as the peak was reached. Like the most other east German mid-sized towns, Eisenach has had a shrinking population since 1950. It declined to 48,000 in 1990, 44,000 in 2000 and 42,000 in 2012. During the last few years (2009–2012), the annual change was {{nobr|-0.12%}}. Suburbanization played only a small role in Eisenach. It occurred after reunification for a short time in the 1990s, but most of the suburban areas are situated within the administrative town borders.

The birth deficit was 240 in 2012, or -5.7 per 1,000 inhabitants (Thuringian average: -4.5; national average: -2.4). The net migration rate was +6.5 per 1,000 inhabitants in 2012 (Thuringian average: -0.8; national average: +4.6).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tls.thueringen.de/startseite_hinweis.asp|title=Thüringer Landesamt für Statistik|first=Thüringer Landesamt für|last=Statistik|website=www.tls.thueringen.de|access-date=18 March 2018}}</ref> The most important regions of origin of people who have moved to Eisenach are rural areas of Thuringia as well as foreign countries like Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Hungary, Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria.

Like in other eastern German cities, only a small share of Eisenach's population is foreign: circa 2.3% are non-Germans by citizenship and overall 4.9% are classified as "migrants" (according to the [[2011 EU census]]). Differing from the national average, the biggest groups of migrants in Eisenach are [[Vietnamese people in Germany|Vietnamese]], [[Russians in Germany|Russians]] and [[Ukrainians in Germany|Ukrainians]].

Due to the official atheism of the former [[East Germany|German Democratic Republic]], most of the population is non-religious: 23.0% are members of the [[Evangelical Church in Central Germany]] and 4.4% are Catholics (according to the 2011 EU census).

== Economy==
=== Agriculture, industry and services ===
[[File:OPEL Eisenach Gesamtansicht 2009.jpg|thumb|A factory of [[Opel]], Eisenach's largest employer]]

The region around Eisenach is the part of Thuringia with the strongest economic base.<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|139}}

Agriculture is not very important in Eisenach, because of the hilly terrain, the—compared to central Thuringia further east—less fertile soil and the relatively humid climate. However, 43% of the total municipal territory are in agricultural use, mostly as [[maize]] and [[rapeseed]] fields or as cattle pasture.

The industrial structure is relatively focused on car production. The German auto manufacturer [[Opel]] built an entirely [[Opel Eisenach|new plant]] in the northwest of the town, after the [[Wartburg (car)|Wartburg]] car plant had ceased production in 1991. The new plant opened in 1992. Most other large manufacturers in Eisenach serve as suppliers for Opel, the largest among them is [[Robert Bosch GmbH|Bosch]]. [[BMW]] runs a factory in the neighbouring municipality of [[Krauthausen]] that supplies car parts. Another component supplier is "Truck-Lite Europe". In 2012, there were a total of 19 industrial companies with more than 20 workers in Eisenach, employing 5,600 people and generating a turnover of more than 1.8 billion euros.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tls.thueringen.de/datenbank/TabAnzeige.asp?tabelle=gg000602|title=Thüringer Landesamt für Statistik|first=Thüringer Landesamt für|last=Statistik|website=www.tls.thueringen.de|access-date=18 March 2018}}</ref> Of those employees, 3,000 work for just two companies (Opel and Bosch), underlining the dependence of Eisenach on the [[automotive industry]].

Services in Eisenach are focused on tourism with 166,000 overnight visitors spending a total of 311,000 nights in hotels in 2012. In addition, there are large numbers of (mostly German) one-day visitors.

Eisenach also provides services to the region (retail, hospitals, theatres, cinemas etc.).

During recent years, the economic situation of the town improved: the unemployment rate declined from 17% in 2005 to 9% in 2013.

==Attractions==
The [[Wartburg]] castle is, aside from [[Weimar]], the most-visited tourist attraction in Thuringia.<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|148}} Further sights are:

=== Museums ===
Eisenach hosts a number of museums:
* The ''[[Bach House (Eisenach)|Bachhaus]]'' at Frauenplan was the first museum worldwide to be dedicated to the life and work of [[Johann Sebastian Bach]] in 1906. It was established through the [[Neue Bachgesellschaft]]. The house is over 600 years old and stands near the site of the house in the Rittergasse, which is directly in back of the museum, where Bach was born on 31 March 1685. Today, a 2007 expansion has been added to the museum and it holds several artifacts and a variety of 18th and 19th century musical instruments.<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|143}}
* The ''[[Lutherhaus Eisenach|Lutherhaus]]'' at Lutherplatz is one of the oldest [[half-timbered]] buildings remaining in Eisenach. [[Martin Luther]] is said to have lived here as a pupil during his school days in Eisenach from 1498 to 1501 as a guest of the Cotta family. The building was destroyed in a fire in 1944 but had been completely rebuilt by 1966.<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|142}} Currently, this house is a museum featuring multimedia exhibits relating to the period. The museum is split into five parts illustrating Luther's life and times as well as his teachings. 
* ''Automobile Welt'' at Friedrich-Naumann-Straße exhibits the tradition of car production in Eisenach since 1898. It includes the Wartburg cars of 1899–1991, AWE racing cars from 1956 and classic BMW cars.<ref name="Baedeker">{{cite book|last=Stahn|first=Dina|title=Thüringen (German)|publisher=Karl Baedeker Verlag|year=2009|isbn=978-3-8297-1175-3}}</ref>{{rp|147}}
* The ''Thüringer Museum'' inside the palace at Marktplatz is the art-historical museum of Eisenach and shows a collection focusing on [[porcelain]] and art handicrafts.
* The ''Reuter-Wagner-Museum'' at Reuterweg hosts an exhibition on the poet [[Fritz Reuter]] and the composer [[Richard Wagner]]. Built by [[Ludwig Bohnstedt]] between 1866 and 1868, this [[Renaissance Revival architecture|neo-renaissance]] house was the home of Fritz Reuter, a well-known poet of the Low German dialect, from 1868 until his death in 1874. Reuter's home was acquired by the town in 1895 and turned into a memorial. That same year the collection of Nicolaus Oesterlein containing several thousand books on Richard Wagner (virtually the complete primary and secondary literature on Wagner of the 19th century) was added. Since 1997, this collection—the second largest in the world after [[Bayreuth]]—has been presented in a new exhibit on the ground floor, which also includes all the material on ''[[Tannhäuser (opera)|Tannhäuser]]'', an opera set at the Wartburg.<ref name="Klauss">{{cite book|last=Klauß|first=Jochen|title=Thüringen - Literarische Streifzüge (German)|publisher=Artemis & Winkler (Patmos)|year=2009|isbn=978-3-538-07280-0}}</ref>{{rp|32–33}}<ref name=RWM>{{cite web|url=http://www.eisenach.de/Rundgang.3141.0.html|title=Reuter-Wagner-Museum - Rundgang (German)|publisher=Eisenach Town Council|access-date=24 January 2014|archive-date=25 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625175652/http://www.eisenach.de/Rundgang.3141.0.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* The museum inside the ''Predigerkirche'' at Predigerplatz hosts the medieval art division of the ''Thüringer Museum''.
* The ''Goldener Löwe'' at Marienstraße shows an historical exhibition of German social democracy. On 7 August 1869 the Social Democratic Worker's Party (later to become the ''[[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social-Democratic Party of Germany]]'') was founded at this site.<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|147}} The "August Bebel Society" offers lectures and seminars on topics of historical and current political interest.

<gallery>
File:Thuringia Eisenach asv2020-07 img14 Bach Museum.jpg|Bachhaus
File:Lutherhaus DSCN3667.jpg|[[Lutherhaus Eisenach|Lutherhaus]]
File:ESA AWE.JPG|"Automobile Welt"
File:Thuringia Eisenach asv2020-07 img29 Market Square.jpg|''Thüringer Museum'' inside the palace
File:Eisenach Reuterhaus 2009.jpg|Reuter-Wagner-Museum
File:ESA PREDIGERKL14.jpg|Predigerkirche
File:Thuringia Eisenach asv2020-07 img01 Goldener Löwe.jpg|''Goldener Löwe''
</gallery>

=== Townscape ===
[[File:ESA FritzKochStr11 Bild1.jpg|thumb|Typical example of mansion architecture in the southern town]]
The town of Eisenach developed during the Middle Ages at the exit of ''Mariental'' valley, opening to the Hörsel valley around Marktplatz, Karlsplatz and Frauenplan in a triangle structure. The early-modern period brought extensions to the west (Katharinenstraße), to the north (Jakobstraße) and to the east (in front of Nikolaitor gate). The construction boom between 1850 and 1914 led to a strict division in urban development. South of the historic centre, mansion districts were established on the hillsides of Mariental valley, where the rich factory owners, rentiers and other upper-class people lived. These districts are among the most important examples of this urban type in Germany, and one of the largest in Europe.<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|147}} North of the historic centre, next to the railway and Hörsel river, factories and worker quarters were established. These also host some examples of interesting [[Gründerzeit]] architecture. After [[World War I]], the town extended further to the north on the other bank of Hörsel river, where some new residential areas were developed before 1990.

====Square ensembles====
* ''Karlsplatz'': adjoins the Nikolaikirche (Church of St. Nicholas) and the Romanesque Nikolaitor (St. Nicholas Gate), the only surviving town gate (out of five). The square is seen as the nucleus of the town, it was first mentioned in 1368.<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|142}}
* ''Marktplatz'': the market square with the Georgenkirche (Church of St. George), the town hall, the Baroque ''Stadtschloss'', as well as a number of highly decorative administration buildings and merchants' houses. It also features the gilded market fountain designed by Hans Leonardt in 1549, showing St. George, the patron saint of Eisenach.
* ''Jakobsplan'': named after a chapel destroyed by fire in the Middle Ages. Jakobsplan comprises a monument to St. George in the centre of the square, part of the old town walls (including one of the watch towers), and the Goethe Garden.
* ''Frauenplan'': a small courtyard-type square that takes its name from the "Church of Our Lady". The church was demolished for defence purposes in 1306. Today Frauenplan is the location of the ''Bachhaus'' and the Bach monument in front of it.

=== Sights and architectural heritage ===

==== Churches ====
* ''St. George's Church'' (Lutheran) at the market square was first built in the 12th century. The church in which St. Elisabeth was married was demolished in 1515 and replaced by a new structure. Martin Luther held a sermon there on 2 May 1521. In 1525, the church was heavily damaged during the ''Bauernkrieg'' and during the Reformation it served as a stables. It was rededicated in 1558. On 23 March 1685, Johann Sebastian Bach was baptized in the church (the 16th century baptismal font still remains). The tower was added in 1898–1902.<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|142}} 
* ''St. Nicholas' Church'' (Lutheran), located on the Karlsplatz, served the [[Benedictine]] convent once located in the area. This triple-naved basilica was built in 1180.<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|139}} It is considered the latest example of [[Romanesque architecture]] in Thuringia.
* ''Preachers' Church'' (secularized) at Predigerplatz was part of a former [[Dominican order|Dominican]] monastery (founded in 1240 and the only monastery buildings of which remain in the town), today used as a museum for medieval art.<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|146}} 
* ''St. Elizabeth's Church'' (Roman Catholic) at Sophienstraße is the Catholic parish church of Eisenach, built in [[neo-Gothic style]] in the 1880s.<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|147}}  
* ''St. Anne's Church'' (Lutheran) at Georgenstraße was founded together with a hospital by St. Elizabeth in 1226. 
* ''St. Clement's Chapel'' (Lutheran) at Clemensstraße is a small 13th century Romanesque chapel.
* ''Holy Cross Church'' (secularized) at the old cemetery was built in the 1690s.

<gallery>
File:Thuringia Eisenach asv2020-07 img18 StGeorge Church.jpg|St. George's Church
File:ESA Nikolaikirche.jpg|St. Nicholas' Church
File:ESA Predigerkloster.jpg|Preachers' Church 
File:Thuringia Eisenach asv2020-07 img07 StElisabeth Church.jpg|St. Elizabeth's Church
File:ESA Annenkirche.jpg|St. Anne's Church
File:Clemenskapelle2.JPG|St. Clement's Chapel
File:Thuringia Eisenach asv2020-07 img31 Cross Church.jpg|Holy Cross Church
</gallery>

==== Castles and palaces ====
* The most important castle is the Wartburg above the town. For further information, see: [[Wartburg]]. 
* The ''Stadtschloss'' (town palace) is situated at the north end of the Marktplatz and was built between 1742 and 1745. This palace was constructed to the plans of Gottfried Heinrich Krohne, architect of Duke [[Ernst August I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar|Ernst August I]] of [[Duchy of Saxe-Weimar|Saxe-Weimar]].<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|140}} After 1777 [[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe]] frequently stayed here in his capacity as the duke's prime minister.<ref name="Klauss"/>{{rp|36–37}} Today the Stadtschloss acts as a venue for special exhibitions and as a museum for artistic and historical artifacts from Thuringia.
* ''Hellgrevenhof'' at Georgenstraße is part of a former inner-town castle, named after Heinrich Hellgreve, a rich citizen who lived here in the late 13th century. It consists of five buildings, the oldest dating to around 1200, although it has been modified several times over the centuries.<ref name="Klauss"/>{{rp|35}}  
* ''Bechtolsheim Palace'' at Jakobsplan is a [[Neoclassical architecture|neoclassical]] palace, built in the late 18th century. 
* ''Schloss Fischbach'' in Fischbach district is a small 17th-century castle.
* ''Jagdschloss Hohe Sonne'' is a hunting lodge south of the city in the Thuringian Forest. It was built in the mid-18th century in the Baroque style. 
* ''Alte Residenz'' at Esplanade is the relic of the former ducal residence, rebuilt in the Renaissance style after older predecessors.

<gallery>
File:Thuringia Eisenach asv2020-07 img23 Wartburg Castle.jpg|Wartburg
File:City castle of Eisenach (3).jpg|''Stadtschloss''
File:ESA Bechtholzheim.jpg|Bechtolsheim Palace
File:ESA FISCHBACH.jpg|''Schloss Fischbach''
File:ESA HOHESONNE2.JPG|''Jagdschloss Hohe Sonne''
File:ESA RESIDENZHS2.jpg|''Alte Residenz''
</gallery>

==== Memorials ====
* The ''Bach monument'' was constructed in 1884 by [[Adolf von Donndorf]]. Financed by other well-known musicians, the more-than-life-size figure portrays Johann Sebastian Bach in his [[Thomaskirche (Leipzig)|St. Thomas's]] choir-master's clothes and wig. It is situated on the Frauenplan next to the ''Bachhaus''.
* The ''Martin Luther monument'' at Karlsplatz was designed by Adolf von Donndorf and was dedicated on 4 May 1895 on the 374th anniversary of Luther's arrival at Wartburg castle. The more-than-life-size statue of Martin Luther on a pedestal also has reliefs depicting events of his life leading up to and including his stay in Eisenach as well as the title of one of his most famous hymns, "Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott" ("[[A Mighty Fortress Is Our God]]").
* The ''Burschenschaftsdenkmal'' (literally: "Monument to Student Fraternities") on Göpelskuppe hill was built in 1902. The monument stands on a hill opposite the Wartburg in memory of the members of the liberal and nationalistic student movement and others who were killed in the struggle for a united Germany between 1864 and 1871.<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|148}} The monument that reaches a height of 33 meters and proclaims "Honour, Freedom, and Fatherland", was dedicated on 22 May 1902 and was extended in 1933 to honour those who fell in World War I. Since reunification, fraternities again have been meeting in Eisenach in memory of the demonstrations held at the Wartburg in the past.
* ''[[The “Dejudaization Institute” Memorial]]'' was unveiled on May 6, 2019 at the beginning of Bornstrasse. A plaque with text, which is integrated in the memorial, acknowledges the churches’ guilt, summarizes the "[[Institute for the Study and Elimination of Jewish Influence on German Church Life|Dejudaization Institute’s]]" work and impact, and remembers the victims of the church’s [[anti-Judaism]] and [[anti-Semitism]].

<gallery>
File:Thuringia Eisenach asv2020-07 img15 Monument to Bach.jpg|Bach monument
File:Thuringia Eisenach asv2020-07 img11 Monument to Luther.jpg|Luther monument
File:Burschenschaftsdenkmal 07.jpg|''Burschenschaftsdenkmal''
File:Eisenach Entjudungsinstitut Gedenktafel Ecke.jpg|"Dejudaization Institute" Memorial
</gallery>

==== Other sights ====
* The town walls were built during the 13th century and demolished in the 19th century. Remains visible today are the ''Nikolaitor'' and the ''Glockenturm''. 
* The ''Kartausgarten'' is all that remains of the original [[Carthusian]] monastery, consecrated to St. Elizabeth in 1380. In 1700 it became a royal kitchen garden and around 1800 was changed into a park. The "Wandelhalle" (covered walk and foyer), built in 1906,<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|147}} was originally intended as a pump room to a [[spa]] planned for Eisenach that never materialised.
* The ''town hall'' at Marktplatz was a former wine cellar and became the townhall of Eisenach in 1596. The building, having been destroyed by fire in 1636, was rebuilt in 1641. The southern part of the complex suffered considerable damage in a bombing raid in 1945 during [[World War II]]. It was renovated in 1996 and it now houses the municipal administration offices. 
* The ''Landestheater'' (state theatre) was established in 1879<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|147}} by Julius von Eichel-Streiber and constructed to the design of the [[Leipzig]] architect Karl Weichardt. It was later renovated in 1993. The theatre holds an audience of 600 and has two balconies. 
* The ''narrow house'' may be the narrowest half-timbered house in Germany. It was built before 1750 and is only 2.05 meters wide. Inside visitors can view a small exhibition. Notably, Bach composed several sonnets here as he liked the acoustics of the house.

<gallery>
File:Nikolaitor Eisenach.jpg|Town gate ''Nikolaitor''
File:Thuringia Eisenach asv2020-07 img05 Wandelhalle.jpg|The ''Wandelhalle'' at Kartausgarten
File:Thuringia Eisenach asv2020-07 img06 Old Town Hall.jpg|Town hall
File:Landestheater Eisenach.jpg|Theatre
File:Eisenach Schmales Haus.jpg|Narrow House
</gallery>

==Politics==
===Mayor and city council===
The first freely elected mayor after German reunification was [[Hans-Peter Brodhun]] of the [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]] (CDU), who served from 1990 to 2000. He was succeeded by fellow CDU member [[Gerhard Schneider]] from 2000 and 2006. [[Matthias Doht]] of the [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]] (SPD) was elected mayor in 2006. In 2012, [[Katja Wolf]] of [[The Left (Germany)|The Left]] won the mayoralty, becoming the first female mayor in Eisenach's history. After defecting to the [[Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance]] in 2023, she retired as mayor to run for the [[2024 Thuringian state election]]. The most recent mayoral election was held on 26 May 2024, with a runoff held on 9 June, and the results were as follows:

{{election table}}
! rowspan=2 colspan=2| Candidate
! rowspan=2| Party
! colspan=2| First round
! colspan=2| Second round
|-
! Votes
! %
! Votes
! %
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}| 
| align=left| Jonny Kraft
| align=left| [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]]
| 5,727
| 30.5
| 7,039
| 42.7
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}| 
| align=left| Christoph Ihling
| align=left| [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]]
| 7,608
| 40.5
| 9,437
| 57.3
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alternative for Germany}}| 
| align=left| Stephan Müller
| align=left| [[Alternative for Germany]]
| 5,460
| 29.1
|-
! colspan=3| Valid votes
! 18,795
! 98.0
! 16,476
! 91.7
|-
! colspan=3| Invalid votes
! 379
! 2.0
! 1,482
! 8.3
|-
! colspan=3| Total
! 19,174
! 100.0
! 17,958
! 100.0
|-
! colspan=3| Electorate/voter turnout
! 33,161
! 57.8
! 33,138
! 54.2
|-
| colspan=7| Source: [https://wahlen.thueringen.de/datenbank/wahl1/wahl.asp?wahlart=BM&wJahr=2024&zeigeErg=GEM&wknr=063&gemnr=63105 Wahlen in Thüringen]
|}

The most recent city council election was held on 26 May 2024, and the results were as follows:

{{election table}}
! colspan=2| Party
! Lead candidate
! Votes
! %
! +/-
! Seats
! +/-
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}| 
| align=left| [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]] (CDU)
| align=left| Christoph Ihling
| 14,955
| 27.1
| {{increase}} 6.4
| 10
| {{increase}} 3
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alternative for Germany}}| 
| align=left| [[Alternative for Germany]] (AfD)
| align=left| Tim Schnitger
| 10,839
| 19.6
| {{increase}} 7.8
| 7
| {{increase}} 3
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}| 
| align=left| [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]] (SPD)
| align=left| Jonny Kraft
| 7,259
| 13.1
| {{increase}} 1.3
| 5
| {{increase}} 1
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|The Left (Germany)}}| 
| align=left| [[The Left (Germany)|The Left]] (Die Linke)
| align=left| Christiane Leischner
| 5,022
| 9.1
| {{decrease}} 12.6
| 3
| {{decrease}} 5
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|National Democratic Party of Germany}}| 
| align=left| [[National Democratic Party of Germany|The Homeland]] (HEIMAT)
| align=left| Patrick Wieschke
| 4,399
| 8.0
| {{decrease}} 2.2
| 3
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
| 
| align=left| Citizens for Eisenach (BfE)
| align=left| Heike Apel-Spengler
| 4,249
| 7.7
| {{increase}} 0.7
| 3
| {{increase}} 1
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}| 
| align=left| [[Alliance 90/The Greens]] (Grüne)
| align=left| Nele Marie Bär
| 4,084
| 7.4
| {{decrease}} 2.9
| 3
| {{increase}} 1
|-
| 
| align=left| Voter Group Firefighter (WGF)
| align=left| Dieter Suck
| 2,143
| 3.9
| New
| 1
| New
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}| 
| align=left| [[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|Free Democratic Party]] (FDP)
| align=left| Gisela Rexrodt
| 1,275
| 2.3
| {{decrease}} 2.2
| 1
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
| 
| align=left| Eisenacher Awakening (EA)
| align=left| Katrin Huber
| 1,008
| 1.8
| {{decrease}} 0.4
| 0
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
! colspan=3| Valid votes
! 55,233
! 100.0
! 
! 
! 
|-
! colspan=3| Invalid ballots
! 479
! 2.5
! 
! 
! 
|-
! colspan=3| Total ballots
! 19,059
! 100.0
! 
! 36
! ±0
|-
! colspan=3| Electorate/voter turnout
! 33,162
! 57.5
! {{decrease}} 0.4
! 
! 
|-
| colspan=8| Source: [https://wahlen.thueringen.de/datenbank/wahl1/wahl.asp?wahlart=GW&wJahr=2024&zeigeErg=GEM&wknr=063&gemnr=63105 Wahlen in Thüringen]
|}

==Twin towns – sister cities==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany}}
Eisenach is [[Sister city|twinned]] with:<ref>{{cite web |title=Eisenachs Partnerstädte|url=https://www.eisenach.de/rathaus/partnerstaedte|website=eisenach.de|publisher=Eisenach|language=de|access-date=2021-02-02}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
*{{flagicon|GER}} [[Marburg]], Germany (1988)
*{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Sedan, France|Sedan]], France (1991)
*{{flagicon|USA}} [[Waverly, Iowa]], United States (1992)
*{{flagicon|DEN}} [[Skanderborg Municipality|Skanderborg]], Denmark (1993)
*{{flagicon|BLR}} [[Mogilev]], Belarus (1996)
*{{flagicon|HUN}} [[Sárospatak]], Hungary (2008)
{{div col end}}

==Infrastructure==

=== Transport ===
[[File:Thuringia Eisenach asv2020-07 img32 Railway station.jpg|thumb|Eisenach Hauptbahnhof (Hbf)]]
[[File:Eisenach-4.jpg|thumb|A tram at Marktplatz in 1974]]
[[File:Rennsteig.JPG|thumb|The "R" is the symbol of the [[Rennsteig]] hiking trail in the Thuringian Forest, which starts in Eisenach.]]

Eisenach is connected by the [[Thuringian Railway]] to [[Erfurt]] and [[Halle (Saale)|Halle]]/[[Leipzig]] to the east and to [[Kassel]] and [[Frankfurt]] to the west. Furthermore, there is the [[Eisenach–Lichtenfels railway|Werra Railway]], a former main-line railway between north and south Germany from Eisenach via [[Meiningen]] to [[Eisfeld]], which since the division of Germany after World War II has served only for regional transport. At the former inner German border, it is still interrupted between Eisfeld and [[Coburg]], but rebuilding is in discussion. [[Eisenach Hauptbahnhof]] is a stop of all long-distance trains from Frankfurt to Leipzig/[[Dresden]], running once an hour. Local trains, also once an hour, start in Eisenach to Halle via Erfurt, to [[Sonneberg]] via Meiningen and Eisfeld and to [[Bebra]] via [[Gerstungen]]. Freight transport is important at Eisenach's Opel factory which has its own terminal. Further local passenger stations are Eisenach-West, Eisenach-Opelwerk and Hörschel.

Eisenach is located on the [[Bundesautobahn 4]] from Frankfurt in the west to Erfurt and Dresden in the east. Since 2010, the Autobahn has been moved to a new route farther away from the town to protect the residents from noise and air pollution. Moreover, it was not possible to expand the old route because of the mountainous topography. After 2010, parts of the old route became a town highway, whereas other parts were renaturalized. A second Autobahn between Eisenach and Kassel is in construction ([[Bundesautobahn 44]]). There are four [[Bundesstraße]]n connecting Eisenach: The [[Bundesstraße 7]] runs to Kassel in the north-west, whereas its eastern branch to [[Gotha]] was annulled in 2010. The [[Bundesstraße 19]] leads to Meiningen in the south, the [[Bundesstraße 84]] to [[Bad Langensalza]] in the north-east and to [[Fulda]] via [[Vacha, Germany|Vacha]] in the south-west and the [[Bundesstraße 88]] is a connection to [[Ilmenau]] in the south-east. Furthermore, there are two important secondary roads to [[Mühlhausen]] via [[Mihla]] in the north and to [[Herleshausen]] in the west through the Hörsel valley. Downtown traffic is concentrated on Rennbahn street, which often leads to congestion due to a large number of commuters and the town's narrow topography.

The next local airports are the [[Erfurt-Weimar Airport]], about {{convert|50|km|0|abbr=on}} to the east and the [[Kassel Calden Airport]], roughly {{convert|90|km|0|abbr=on}} to the north-west. Both offer service to tourist destinations. The next major international airport is [[Frankfurt Airport]], circa {{convert|200|km|0|abbr=on}} to the south-west. Kindel Airfield, {{convert|12|km|0|abbr=on}} east of Eisenach, is a former Soviet military base, today used for private aviation.

Biking is getting more and more popular since the construction of quality cycle tracks began in the 1990s. Long distance trails include the ''Werra trail'', the ''[[Rennsteig]] trail'' and the ''Radweg Thüringer Städtekette'' ("Thuringian town string trail"). These all connect points of touristic interest, the first along the [[Werra]] valley from the [[Thuringian Forest]] to the [[Weser]] river in [[Hann. Münden]], the second through the Thuringian Forest along its crest to the [[Saale]] river near [[Hof, Bavaria|Hof]] and the third follows near the medieval [[Via Regia]] from the Werra valley/Eisenach via Gotha, Erfurt and [[Weimar]] to [[Altenburg]].

Public transport in Eisenach is by a bus network servicing the downtown areas as well as the neighbouring towns and villages. The three-line tramway system of Eisenach was in operation between 1897 and 1975.

== Education ==
After reunification, the educational system was reformed. Eisenach currently has six state-run and one Protestant primary schools.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eisenach.de/Grundschulen.528.0.html|title=Allgemeinbildende Schulen|first=Stadt|last=Eisenach|date=16 March 2018|website=eisenach.de|access-date=18 March 2018|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304233250/http://www.eisenach.de/Grundschulen.528.0.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

There are two types of secondary school in Germany. The [[Gymnasium (Germany)|gymnasium]] prepares students for higher education at a university and students graduate after a total of 12 or 13 years of education with an [[Abitur]]. There are two public and one evangelical gymnasium in Eisenach named after personalities of the cities history:<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.eisenach.de/Gymnasien.530.0.html|title=Startseite: Wartburgstadt Eisenach|access-date=2015-05-10|archive-date=2015-05-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150527210652/http://www.eisenach.de/Gymnasien.530.0.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* ''Elisabeth Gymnasium'' (named after [[Elizabeth of Hungary|St. Elisabeth]]. This public gymnasium is partner school for the handball project of the local ThSV Eisenach handball club which is one of clubs playing in Germany's first league (''[[2013–14 Handball-Bundesliga|Handball Bundesliga]]''). Students can specialise in science, languages or music & art and are offered an intense course in economics & law in year 11 and 12).<ref>http://www.elisabeth-gymnasium.eisenachonline.de {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150204173841/http://www.elisabeth-gymnasium.eisenachonline.de/ |date=2015-02-04 }}</ref>
* ''Ernst Abbe Gymnasium'' (named after [[Ernst Abbe]]. This public gymnasium offers specialisations in science and languages and offers its student a ''MINT'' - math, IT, science, technology - certificate, similar to a degree in [[STEM fields]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ernstabbegymnasium.de|title=Ernst-Abbe-Gymnasium - Startseite|website=www.ernstabbegymnasium.de|access-date=18 March 2018}}</ref>
* ''Luther Gymnasium'' (named after [[Martin Luther]]. In addition to its religious focus, this Protestant gymnasium offers specialisations in science and languages. Career guidance and a diaconal internship are part of year 11 and 12).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.martin-luther-gymnasium.com|title=Homepage - Martin-Luther-Gymnasium Eisenach|website=www.martin-luther-gymnasium.com|access-date=18 March 2018}}</ref>

Another form of secondary school is the ''[[Realschule]]'' where students graduate after a total of ten years of education. There are four public and one free sponsored ''Realschulen'' in Eisenach.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eisenach.de/Regelschulen.529.0.html|title=Allgemeinbildende Schulen|first=Stadt|last=Eisenach|date=16 March 2018|website=eisenach.de|access-date=18 March 2018|archive-date=6 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306132416/http://www.eisenach.de/Regelschulen.529.0.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In addition, there is one [[Waldorf education|Waldorf]] school where education spans from primary school to gymnasium.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.waldorfschule-eisenach.de|title=Start - Freie Waldorfschule Eisenach|website=www.waldorfschule-eisenach.de|access-date=18 March 2018}}</ref>

In 1998, the ''[[Cooperative education|Berufsakademie]] Eisenach'' was founded. The roughly 600 students can obtain a bachelor's degree there, either in economics or in technics.

==Sport==
[[ThSV Eisenach]] is a professional [[team handball|handball]] club that plays in the [[2. Handball-Bundesliga|second division]].

==Notable people==
[[File:Ernst Abbe (Heliogravure Emil Tesch).png|thumb|Ernst Abbe (Heliogravure Emil Tesch)]]

* [[Ernst Abbe]] (1840–1905), physicist and entrepreneur
* [[Johann Sebastian Bach]] (1685–1750), composer of the baroque, organist and harpsichordist
* [[Eleonore Heerwart]] (1835–1911), educator
* [[Elizabeth of Hungary|St. Elisabeth]] (1207–1231), princess of the [[Kingdom of Hungary]] and Catholic saint
* [[Ingedore Grünfeld Villaça Koch]] (1933–2018), German-Brazilian linguist
* [[Harry Lange (film designer)]] (1930–2008)
* [[Heinrich Liebe]] (1908–1997), navy officer
* [[Martin Luther]] (1483–1546), professor of theology, reformer
* [[Christian Franz Paullini]] (1643–1712), physician and polymath
* [[Karl-Wilhelm von Schlieben]] (1894–1964), German general
* [[Hermann Wislicenus]] (1825–1899), painter

===Sons and daughters of the town===
* [[Johann Ernst Bach II|Johann Ernst Bach]] (1722–1777), composer, court and municipal organist at the Church of St. Georg in Eisenach
* [[Charlotte von Stein]] (1742–1827), close friend of Goethe
* [[Johann Georg Bach]] (1751–1797), court and municipal organist at the Church of St. Georg in Eisenach
* [[Karl Friedrich von Steinmetz]] (1796–1877), Prussian field marshall
* [[Hermann Hahn (architect)|Hermann Hahn]] (born 1841), architect
* [[Walter Flex]] (1887–1917), World War I poet
* [[Hans Severus Ziegler]] (1893–1978), writer and director
* [[Eugen Glueckauf|Eugen Glückauf]] (1906-1981), chemist and expert on nuclear power
* [[Botho Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein]] (1927–2008), politician and resistance fighter
* [[Sabine Bergmann-Pohl]] (born 1946), doctor and politician ([[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|CDU]])
* [[Thomas C. Breuer]] (born 1952), writer and comedian
* [[Thomas Reuter]] (born 1952), composer
* [[Oliver Schwerdt]] (born 1979), jazz pianist and musicologist
* [[Johannes Voigtmann]] (born 1992), basketball player

==References==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book|title=Eisenach|publisher= Sachbuchverlag Karin Mader|first=Martina |last=Wengierek|year= 1997|isbn=3-921957-37-0}}
{{refend}}

{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikivoyage}}
{{NIE Poster|year=1905}}
* {{Official website}} {{In lang|de|en}}
* [http://www.eisenachonline.de/ Info-Portal EisenachOnline] {{In lang|de}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20041213172020/http://www.burschenschaftsdenkmal.de/ Burschenschaftsdenkmal] {{In lang|de}}
* [http://www.wartburgradio.com/ Lokalradio Wartburg-Radio 96,5] {{In lang|de}}
* [http://www.theater-eisenach.de/ Landestheater Eisenach] {{In lang|de}}

{{Geographic location
|Centre    = Eisenach
|North     = [[Göttingen]] - [[Hildesheim]] - [[Hanover]]
|Northeast = [[Mühlhausen]]
|East      = [[Gotha]] — [[Erfurt]] — [[Weimar]]
|Southeast = [[Ilmenau]]
|South     = [[Schmalkalden]] <br />[[Meiningen]]
|Southwest = [[Fulda]]
|West      = [[Marburg]] — [[Bad Hersfeld]]
|Northwest = [[Kassel]]
}}
{{Cities and towns in Wartburgkreis (district)}}
{{Cities in Thuringia}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Eisenach| ]]
[[Category:Burial sites of the House of Leiningen]]
[[Category:Burial sites of the Ludovingians]]
[[Category:Holocaust locations in Germany]]
[[Category:Martin Luther]]
[[Category:Opel]]