Schmalkalden-Meiningen
| Statistics | |
|---|---|
| State: | Thuringia |
| Capital: | Meiningen |
| Area: | 1,210 km² |
| Inhabitants: | 141,055 (2002) |
| pop. density: | 117 inh./km² |
| Car identification: | SM |
| Homepage: | http://www.lk-sm.de | Map |
Schmalkalden-Meiningen is a Kreis (district) in the west of Thuringia, Germany. Neighboring districts are (from the northwest clockwise) the districts Wartburgkreis, Gotha, Ilm-Kreis, the district-free city Suhl, the district Hildburghausen, the Bavarian district Rhön-Grabfeld, and the district Fulda in Hesse.
| Table of contents |
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2 Partnerships 3 Geography 4 Coat of arms 5 Towns and municipalities 6 External links |
History
The district was created in 1994 by merging the previous districts Schmalkalden, Meiningen and partially Suhl-Land.
Partnerships
The district has a partnership with the Vogelsbergkreis in Hesse, as well as with the Komitat Pest in Hungary.
Geography
The main river in the district is the Werra. The district is located in mostly mountanous landscape, the Rhön and the Thuringian Forest. The Rennsteig hiking path crosses the district. The area around Oberhof is a famous winter sports resort.
| The coat of arms shows symbols from the coat of arms of the three precursor districts, which are also symbols for the historic states which make up the territory of the district. The rooster in the topleft derives from the coat of arms of the counts of Henneberg. The lion of Hesse is displayed in the topright, as the area was owned by Hesse 1360-1866. The banner in the bottom left comes from the coat of arms of the district Meiningen, and derives from the coat of arms of the city Würzburg. The prince-bishops of Würzburg owned Meiningen in the past. The coat of arms of Saxony in the top right finally reminds of the duchy Sachsen-Meiningen, which existed from 1680 to 1918. |
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