Eschwege

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Eschwege
Eschwege at river Werra.
Eschwege at river Werra.
Coat of arms Location
Coat of arms of Eschwege
Eschwege (Germany)
Eschwege
Administration
Country Flag of Germany Germany
State Hesse
Admin. region Kassel
District Werra-Meißner-Kreis
Mayor Jürgen Zick (SPD)
Basic statistics
Area 63.27 km² (24.4 sq mi)
Elevation 211 m  (692 ft)
Population 20,610  (31/12/2006)
 - Density 326 /km² (844 /sq mi)
Other information
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Licence plate ESW
Postal code 37269
Area code 05651
Website www.eschwege.de

Coordinates: 51°11′17″N 10°3′10″E / 51.18806, 10.05278
The Dietemann, symbol of Eschwege, blows his horn on the hour after emerging from the Eschweger Schloss Tower.
The Dietemann, symbol of Eschwege, blows his horn on the hour after emerging from the Eschweger Schloss Tower.

Eschwege (IPA: [ˈɛʃveːgə]) is a town in the state of Hesse, Germany, situated on the river Werra. It is the capital of the Werra-Meißner-Kreis district.

Contents

[edit] Geography

The town is lies in the Werra valley, at the foot of the Leuchtberg, north west of the Schlierbachswald and east of the Hoher Meißner mountain. The valley basin where the town is located includes a series of small lakes along the southern side of the river. The nearest large cities are Kassel 52 km to the north west and Göttingen 55 km to the north.

Old Town Hall.
Old Town Hall.

[edit] Main sights

The Heimatmuseum, located in the scenic old town, has a market place surrounded by timbered houses.

The old castle of the Landgrafen of Hesse today houses the district administration. The castle is also famous for the Dietemann, the figure of a man with a horn, the symbol of the Eschweger, which is located in the castle tower and appears every hour to blow its horn. Also scenic are the views along the river Werra.

[edit] Cultural events

Eschwege is the home of a famous four day music and drinking festival called the Johannisfest, which attracts several thousand visitors and is said to be the best showcase of the quaint town besides the Open Flair, the largest music festival in the region.

[edit] Military history

Eschwege is also home to an old barracks, formerly used by the Germany Army during World War II. It was occupied by US Army troops for a short time after the war and is now a training centre for the German Federal Police.

[edit] See also

v • d • e
Towns and municipalities in Werra-Meißner-Kreis district
Wappen des Landkreises Werra-Meißner-Kreis
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