Hildburghausen (district)

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Hildburghausen
Map of Thuringia highlighting the district Hildburghausen
State	Thuringia
County seat	Hildburghausen
Area	937 km²
Population	72,800 (2002)
pop. density	78 inh./km²
Car identification	HBN
Web page	landkreis-hildburghausen.de

Hildburghausen is a district in Thuringia, Germany. It is bounded by (from the west and clockwise) the district of Schmalkalden-Meiningen, the city of Suhl, the districts of Ilm-Kreis, Saalfeld-Rudolstadt and Sonneberg, and the state of Bavaria (districts of Coburg, Haßberge and Rhön-Grabfeld).

1 History
2 Geography
3 Coat of arms
4 Towns and municipalities
5 External links

[edit] History

Despite its tiny territory this was an autonomous duchy from 1680 to 1826; in 1684 the capital was moved from Heldburg to Hildburghausen, and the mini state became known as Saxe-Hildburghausen. The dukes built a palace, a French-style park and other pompous buildings in Hildburghausen.

In 1810 a princess of Saxe-Hildburghausen, Therese, was married to king Ludwig I of Bavaria; this event is the (almost forgotten) reason for the Oktoberfest, held annually in Munich.

In 1826 the states of Thuringia were reorganised: the last ruler of Saxe-Altenburg died without an heir; the duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen became his successor, but he had to cease his own realm to Saxe-Meiningen.

In 1868 four districts were established in the duchy of Saxe-Meiningen. Hildburghausen was one of these districts, and roughly identical to the former duchy. It remained almost unchanged until 1993, when the former district of Suhl was dissolved and most of its municipalities joined the district.

Dukes of Saxe Hildburghausen

Incorportated into Saxe-Meiningen

[edit] Geography

The district is located roughly half way between the mountain chains of the Rhön and the Thuringian Forest. It is densely forested and covered by hilly countryside.

[edit] Coat of arms

The coat of arms displays:

the heraldic lion of Meißen (Meißen was the precursor state of Saxony)
the cock representing the counts of Henneberg, who ruled the region until 1583
below the symbol of the bishopric of Würzburg is displayed

[edit] Towns and municipalities

Towns	Verwaltungsgemeinschaften	Free municipalities
Bad Colberg-Heldburg Eisfeld Hildburghausen Römhild Schleusingen Themar Ummerstadt	Feldstein Gleichberge Heldburger Unterland	Auengrund Bockstadt Gleichamberg Masserberg Nahetal-Waldau Sachsenbrunn Sankt Kilian Schleusegrund Straufhain Veilsdorf