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Wartburgkreis (district)

Wartburgkreis
District
Thuringia wak.png
Country  Germany
State Thuringia
Capital Bad Salzungen
Area
 • Total 1,305 km2 (504 sq mi)
Population (31 December 2015)
 • Total 125,655
 • Density 96/km2 (250/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Vehicle registration WAK, SLZ
Website wartburgkreis.de

Wartburgkreis is a Kreis (district) in the west of Thuringia, Germany. Neighboring districts are (from the north clockwise) the districts Unstrut-Hainich, Gotha, Schmalkalden-Meiningen, and the districts Fulda, Hersfeld-Rotenburg and Werra-Meißner in Hesse. The district-free city Eisenach is nearly completely surrounded by the district.

The district was created in 1994 by merging the previous districts Eisenach and Bad Salzungen, and a few municipalities from the district Bad Langensalza. The city Eisenach left the district in 1998 and became a district-free city.

The district is named after the Wartburg, a castle near Eisenach most famous as the place of residence of Ludwig, Landgrave of Thuringia and his wife, Saint Elizabeth of Hungary; and, as Martin Luther's refuge in 1521.

The district is located in the Thuringian Forest, including the Hainich national park. The main river in the district is the Werra.

Coordinates: 50°55′N 10°15′E / 50.92°N 10.25°E / 50.92; 10.25


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