Unstrut-Hainich is a Kreis (district) in the north of Thuringia, Germany. Neighboring districts are (from the north clockwise) the districts Eichsfeld, Kyffhäuserkreis, Sömmerda, Gotha, Wartburgkreis and the district Werra-Meißner in Hesse.

History

The district was created on July 1, 1994 by merging the two previous districts Mühlhausen and Bad Langensalza.

Partnerships

The district has a partnership with the Wetteraukreis in Hesse dating back to the German reunification of 1990. The district also has a partnership with the Lithuanian districts Ukmerge and Raseiniai.

Geography

The district is named after the river Unstrut and a hill chain, the Hainich. The Hainich has become the 13th national park of Germany in 1997.

Coat of arms

	The coat of arms combines the symbols of the historical territories which make up the area of the district. In the topleft is the eagle of the city Mühlhausen, in the topright the lion as the symbol of the dukes of Thuringia. In the bottom left is the wheel of Mainz, and the deer antler in the bottom right is the symbol of the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen.

Towns and municipalities

Verwaltungsgemeinschaft-free towns	and municipalities
Bad Langensalza Mühlhausen	Anrode Dünwald Großvargula Herbsleben Heyerode Katharinenberg Menteroda Unstruttal Weinbergen

Verwaltungsgemeinschaften
1. Bad Tennstedt Bad Tennstedt1, 2 Ballhausen Blankenburg Bruchstedt Haussömmern Hornsömmern Kirchheilingen Klettstedt Kutzleben Mittelsömmern Sundhausen Tottleben Urleben	2. Hildebrandshausen/Lengenfeld unterm Stein Hildebrandshausen Lengenfeld unterm Stein1 Rodeberg 3. Unstrut-Hainich Altengottern Flarchheim Großengottern1 Heroldishausen Mülverstedt Schönstedt Weberstedt	4. Vogtei Kammerforst Langula Niederdorla Oberdorla1 Oppershausen 5. Schlotheim Bothenheilingen Issersheilingen Kleinwelsbach Körner Marolterode Neunheilingen Obermehler Schlotheim1, 2
1seat of the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft; 2town

External links

• Official website (German)