Eisenach, Germany

Eisenach is at the northern edge of the Thuringian Forest, at an elevation of about 220 m. The terrain is hilly, and to the south also mountainous (up to 460 m of elevation), with the central Hörsel valley crossing the town in east–west direction. The 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. About 7 km (4 mi) 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, as are some smaller parts north of the Hörsel river. The Hainich mountains begin 10 km (6 mi) north-east of Eisenach.

Eisenach abuts the municipalities Krauthausen, Mihla, 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 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 region around Eisenach is the part of Thuringia with the strongest economic base.

Agriculture is not very important in Eisenach, because of the hilly terrain, the less fertile soil, and the relatively humid climate, compared with central Thuringia further east. But 43% of the total municipal territory is 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 new plant in the northwest of the town, after the 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 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. 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.

The Wartburg castle is, aside from Weimar, the most-visited tourist attraction in Thuringia. Further sights are:

The 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 at the back of the museum, where Bach was probably 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.

The 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. 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.

After reunification, the educational system was reformed. Eisenach currently has six state-run and one Protestant primary schools.

There are two types of secondary school in Germany. The 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:

Elisabeth Gymnasium (named after 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 (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).

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.

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).