Bad Langensalza | |
|---|---|
 The historical centre of Bad Langensalza | |
 Coat of arms | |
Location of Bad Langensalza within Unstrut-Hainich-Kreis district  | |
  Bad Langensalza  Bad Langensalza | |
| Coordinates:51°6′29″N10°38′48″E / 51.10806°N 10.64667°E /51.10806; 10.64667 | |
| Country | Germany |
| State | Thuringia |
| District | Unstrut-Hainich-Kreis |
| Government | |
| • Mayor(2024–30) | Matthias Reinz[1] (Ind.) |
| Area | |
• Total | 129.37 km2 (49.95 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 202 m (663 ft) |
| Population (2024-12-31)[2] | |
• Total | 16,717 |
| • Density | 129.22/km2 (334.67/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| Postal codes | 99941–99947 |
| Dialling codes | 03603 |
| Vehicle registration | UH, LSZ, MHL |
| Website | badlangensalza |
Bad Langensalza (German pronunciation:[baːtlaŋənˈzaltsa]ⓘ; until 1956:Langensalza) is aspa town of 17,500 inhabitants in theUnstrut-Hainich district,Thuringia, centralGermany.
Bad Langensalza is located in theThuringian Basin, the fertile lowlands along theUnstrut river. The riverSalza flows through the town and joins the Unstrut about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) east of the town. Bad Langensalza lies in an unwooded, intensively farmed and largely flat landscape that rises to the west to theHainich, to the north to theHeilinger Höhen (Heilinger Heights) and to the southeast to theFahner Höhen (Fahner Heights). Due to this location, the climate in Bad Langensalza is relatively mild and, with annual precipitation of about 500 millimetres (20 in), very dry.
The town itself is divided into the relatively large old town centre, which is bounded by the historical town wall, and several areas of urban expansion dating from 1850 onwards. Initially, the town expanded southwards and south-eastwards towards the railway station. This is also where the first industrial areas were built. This was followed by expansion to the southwest, where the village ofUfhoven is located, which has since been incorporated into the core town. Since 1950, Bad Langensalza has expanded mainly to the north, where several residential and commercial areas have been built. Municipal reforms since the early 1990s have greatly enlarged the administrative urban area, which now stretches from the forests of the Hainich National Park to the eastern side of the Unstrut river.
Neighbouring towns of Bad Langensalza areMühlhausen, 20 kilometres (12 mi) northwest,Eisenach, 30 kilometres (19 mi) southwest,Gotha, 20 kilometres (12 mi) south,Erfurt, 30 kilometres (19 mi) southeast,Sömmerda, 35 kilometres (22 mi) east andSondershausen, 35 kilometres (22 mi) northeast. Neighbouringmunicipalities are (clockwise, starting in the west):Schönstedt,Unstrut-Hainich,Nottertal-Heilinger Höhen,Kirchheilingen,Sundhausen,Tottleben,Urleben andGroßvargula in theUnstrut-Hainich district,Tonna andNessetal in theGotha district andHörselberg-Hainich in theWartburg district.
Bad Langensalza is divided into a total of 15 quarters (including the core town):
| Quarter | Population (31 Dec. 2020)[3] | Date of incorporation |
|---|---|---|
| Core town | 11532 | |
| Aschara | 440 | 1994-01-01 |
| Eckardtsleben | 195 | 1992-01-01 |
| Großwelsbach | 253 | 1994-01-01 |
| Grumbach | 221 | 1993-04-01 |
| Henningsleben | 228 | 1993-04-01 |
| Illeben | 148 | 1992-01-01 |
| Klettstedt | 206 | 2019-01-01 |
| Merxleben | 431 | 1994-01-01 |
| Nägelstedt | 704 | 1993-07-01 |
| Thamsbrück | 940 | 1994-01-01 |
| Ufhoven | 1545 | 1950-07-01 |
| Waldstedt | 98 | 1992-07-01 |
| Wiegleben | 342 | 1993-09-01 |
| Zimmern | 308 | 1994-01-01 |
The town was first mentioned in historical recordsc. 932, as a village named "Salzaha". The town's name was changed to Langensalzac. 1578, and "Bad" ("Spa") added to the name in 1956.
In 1075, Langensalza was the site ofa battle, in which EmperorHenry IV won over the rebellingSaxons andThuringians.
The town was plundered and damaged by fires during theThirty Years' War (c. 1632). Fires again destroyed large parts of the town in 1711, including complete destruction of the town hall, which was rebuilt between 1742 and 1752.
War again affected the town between 1756 and 1763, during theSeven Years' War; it was the scene ofa battle in February 1761. In 1815 Langensalza became part of thePrussianProvince of Saxony.
In 1866 it was again the site of a battle betweenPrussia andHanover during theAustro-Prussian War.[4] ThisBattle of Langensalza is famous for being the last time intra-German forces have met in combat.
On April 5, 1945, Langensalza was occupied by American troops and handed over to the Red Army in early July. It became part of the Soviet (Russian) occupation zone and, from 1949 to 1990, was part of theGerman Democratic Republic.
Langensalza is a popular tourist destination, with a well-preserved medieval old town, a number of themed public gardens and a thermal spa bath.[5] In 2011 it won the title "Most blooming town in Europe" as part of the Europe-wide horticultural competitionEntente Florale. In 2025 it was awarded the honor of "Germany's most beautiful small town", ahead of Brüggen in Nordrhein-Westfalen and Rüdesheim in Hessen.[6]
Sulphur springs were discovered in 1811 and opened to the public as a curative bath in 1812. A new version of the public sulphur bath was opened in 1928. Salt and mineral water springs were discovered in 1996, which prompted the opening of many new curative facilities. Today a modern thermal bath attracts many visitors.
Bad Langensalza contains a Botanical Garden, along with a Rose Garden, a Magnolia Garden and an Arboretum. It is one of the few European towns with an authentic large-scale Japanese Garden. Bad Langensalza is also close to theHainich National Park, Germany's oldest deciduous forest.
Every August, the town hosts a Middle Ages Festival (Mittelalterstadtfest) where townsfolk don traditional dress from the middle ages and visitors can experience medieval crafts, handwork, martial arts, food and music.
The town is on theGerman Timber-Frame Road (Fachwerkstraße) and is notable for the number of well-preserved medieval half-timbered (Fachwerk) houses.
Travertine stone has been mined in the town since medieval times, and is still carved there today. It forms the distinctive white stonework of the old town. Travertine from Langensalza was used in the building of theBrandenburg Gate and in one of the most famous works of modern architecture, theBarcelona Pavilion.
The then Augustinian friarMartin Luther visited Langensalza's (still preserved) Augustinian Cloister[7] in 1516 in his role as District Vicar. As a result, the town is now on the Luther Trail.[8] The poetFriedrich Gottlieb Klopstock lived in Langensalza between 1748 and 1750, where he composed some of his most famous odes. His sumptuous house is still standing in the Salzstraße. The poetNovalis lived for a time in Langensalza in 1796 whilst studying chemistry underJohann Christian Wiegleb at his house in the Markstraße.Christoph Wilhelm Hufeland, the most eminent German physician of the 19th Century, was born in Langensalza. He is buried in the famousDorotheenstadt Cemetery in Berlin.
Bad Langensalza istwinned with:[9]
Oostkamp, Belgium
Bad Nauheim, Germany
Media related toBad Langensalza at Wikimedia Commons
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