Schmalkalden

Infobox German Location
Art = Stadt
image_photo = Stadtkirche Schmalkalden.jpg
Wappen = Wappen_Schmalkalden.pnglat_deg = 50 |lat_min = 43 |lat_sec = 0
lon_deg = 10 |lon_min = 27 |lon_sec = 0
Lageplan = Schmalkalden in SM.pngBundesland = Thuringia
Landkreis = Schmalkalden-Meiningen
Höhe = 295
Fläche = 72.06
Einwohner = 17910
Stand = 2005-12-31
PLZ = 98574
Vorwahl = 03683
Kfz = SM
Website = [http://www.schmalkalden.de/ www.schmalkalden.de]
Bürgermeister = Thomas Kaminski
Partei = SPDInfobox Former Country
native_name = "Reichsstadt Schmalkalden"
conventional_long_name = Imperial City of Schmalkalden
common_name = Schmalkalden|
continent = Europe
region = Central Europe
country = Germany
era = Middle Ages
status = City-state
empire = Holy Roman Empire
government_type = Republic|
year_start =
year_end = 1583
life_span = ? – 1583|
event_pre = Gained town rights
date_pre = 1180
event_start = Gained "Reichsfreiheit"
date_start = "Uncertain"
event_end = To Hesse-Darmstadt
date_end = |
p1 =
image_p1 =
s1 = Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt
flag_s1 = Flag of Hesse.svg|
capital = Schmalkalden|
footnotes =

Schmalkalden (IPA2|ʃmalˈkaldən) is a town in the "Kreis" ("district") of Schmalkalden-Meiningen in the southwestern portion of Thuringia state in Germany.

History

Known as early as 874, it became a town in 1180. In 1583, it became a possession of the Landgrave of Hesse. Before World War II, it was in the Prussian province of Hesse-Nassau. The town sustained heavy bomb damage in World War II. After the reunification of Germany, it attained its present political configuration. The present population is about 18,000.

In its town hall, in 1531, the Schmalkaldic League was established by Protestant princes to protect religious and political interests within their domains. In 1537 the Schmalkald Articles were drawn up by Martin Luther, Philipp Melanchthon, and other reformers.

Main sights

* Church of St. George
* Town hall
* Reformed school
* Lutheran Deanship
* Todenwarth's stone house
* The island and the Salt Bridge
* The Rose Pharmacy
* Luther's house
* The Court of Hessen
* The Liebaug House
* Large stone house
* Weidebrunn Lane 30
* Town fortifications
* The hospital and its chapel
* Wilhelmsburg Castle
* Stengel's house
* The cemetery church

Famous people

Schmalkalden is the home town of Sven Fischer and Kati Wilhelm.