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{{More citations needed|date=September 2023}}{{short description|Capital of Thuringia, Germany}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox German location
| type              = City
| image_skyline = {{multiple image
 | border = infobox
 | perrow = 1/2/2
 | total_width = 280
 | align = center
 | caption_align = center
 | image1 = Krämerbrücke, Erfurt 6.jpg
 | caption1 = View over Erfurt
 | image2 = Dom und St. Serveri Erfurt 20200909 0006.jpg
 | caption2 = [[Erfurt Cathedral]] and [[St Severus' Church, Erfurt|St Severus' Church]]
 | image3 = Krämerbrücke (Erfurt) 06.jpg
 | caption3 = [[Krämerbrücke]]
 | image4 = Erfurt from above 2.JPG
 | caption4 = [[Kaufmannskirche]]
 | image5 = Zitadelle Petersberg (Erfurt) 11.jpg
 | caption5 = [[Petersberg Citadel]]
 }}
| image_flag        = Flagge der kreisfreien Stadt Erfurt laut Hauptsatzung.svg
| image_coa         = DEU Erfurt COA.svg
| coordinates       = {{coord|50|58|41|N|11|01|44|E|display=inline,title}}
| image_plan        = Thuringia EF.svg
| plantext          = 
| state             = Thuringia
| district          = urban
| elevation         = 194
| area              = 269.17
| postal_code       = 99084–99099
| area_code         = 0361
| licence           = EF
| Gemeindeschlüssel = 16 0 51 000
| divisions         = 53 districts
| mayor             = Andreas Horn<ref>[https://wahlen.thueringen.de/datenbank/wahl1/wahl.asp?wahlart=BM&wJahr=0000&zeigeErg=LAND&auswertung=2 Gewählte Bürgermeister - aktuelle Landesübersicht], Freistaat Thüringen. Retrieved 25 June 2024.</ref>
| leader_term       = 2024&ndash;30
| Bürgermeistertitel = Oberbürgermeister
| party             = CDU
| ruling_party1     = SPD
| ruling_party2     = Left
| ruling_party3     = Greens
| year              = 1120
| year_of_first_mention = 742
| footnotes        = {{designation list
 |embed                 = yes
 |designation1          = WHS
 |designation1_offname  = Jewish-Medieval Heritage of Erfurt
 |designation1_date     = 2023
 |designation1_type     = Cultural
 |designation1_criteria = iv
 |designation1_number   = [https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1656 1656]
 }}
| website           = {{URL|https://www.erfurt.de/ef/de/index.html}}
}}

'''Erfurt '''({{IPA|de|ˈɛʁfʊʁt|-|De-Erfurt.ogg}})<ref>{{cite book |last1=Mangold |first1=Max |title=Das Aussprachewörterbuch |chapter=Erfurt |publisher=Duden Verlag |year=2005 |location=Mannheim, Leipzig, Wien, Zürich |page=311 |chapter-url=http://www.duden.de/ |access-date=2011-06-22 |isbn=978-3-411-04066-7 |archive-date=9 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120909015711/http://www.duden.de/ |url-status=live }}</ref> is the [[capital (political)|capital]] and largest city of the [[Central Germany (cultural area)|Central German]] state of [[Thuringia]], with a population of around 216,000. It lies in the wide valley of the [[Gera (river)|River Gera]], in the southern part of the [[Thuringian Basin]], north of the [[Thuringian Forest]], and in the middle of a line of the six largest Thuringian cities (''[[:de:Thüringer Städtekette|Thüringer Städtekette]]''), stretching from [[Eisenach]] in the west, via [[Gotha]], Erfurt, [[Weimar]] and [[Jena]], to [[Gera]] in the east. Together with [[Kassel]] and [[Göttingen]], it is one of the cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants lying closest to the geographic centre of Germany. Erfurt is {{cvt|100|km|0}} south-west of [[Leipzig]], {{cvt|250|km|0}} north-east of [[Frankfurt]], {{cvt|300|km|0}} south-west of [[Berlin]] and {{cvt|400|km|0}} north of [[Munich]].

Erfurt's [[old town]] is one of the best preserved medieval city centres in Germany.<ref>Erfurt Tourismus (2003) ''Erfurt: Erlebnis Krämerbrücke'' [parallel title: ''Merchants' Bridge'']. Erfurt: Erfurt Stadtverwaltung</ref> The [[Gera (river)|Gera]] is spanned by the [[Krämerbrücke|Merchants' Bridge]] (''Krämerbrücke''), one of the rare bridges with houses built on it. On the Erfurt Cathedral Hill is the ensemble of [[Erfurt Cathedral]]—which houses [[Maria Gloriosa|the world's largest free-swinging medieval bell]]<ref>"[http://www.sacred-destinations.com/germany/erfurt-dom-cathedral.htm Erfurt Cathedral]", ''Sacred-Destinations.com''.</ref>—and [[St Severus' Church, Erfurt|St Severus' Church]]. [[Petersberg Citadel]] is one of the largest and best preserved town fortresses in Central Europe.<ref>[https://www.erfurt-tourismus.de/sehens-wissenswertes/sehenswertes/zitadelle-petersberg Zitadelle Petersberg - Im neuen Glanz erleben] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220130040243/https://www.erfurt-tourismus.de/sehens-wissenswertes/sehenswertes/zitadelle-petersberg |date=30 January 2022 }}, Erfurt Tourismus & Marketing GmbH (in German). Retrieved 31 October 2016</ref> Erfurt's [[Old Synagogue (Erfurt)|Old Synagogue]] is the oldest [[synagogue]] in Europe, and together with the {{Ill|Erfurt Mikveh|de|Mikwe (Erfurt)}}, which was only rediscovered in 2007, and the {{Ill|Stone House (Erfurt)|de|Steinernes Haus (Erfurt)|lt=Stone House}}, forms the UNESCO World Heritage Site [[Jewish-Medieval Heritage of Erfurt]].<ref>[https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1656 Jewish-Medieval Heritage of Erfurt]</ref>

The city's economy is based on agriculture, horticulture and microelectronics. Its central location has made it a [[logistics]] hub for Germany and central Europe. Erfurt hosts the second-largest trade fair in eastern Germany (after Leipzig), as well as the public television children's channel [[KiKa]]. The city is on the [[Via Regia]], a medieval trade and pilgrims' road network. [[Erfurt Hauptbahnhof|Erfurt Main Station]] is the junction of the [[Nuremberg–Erfurt high-speed railway|Nuremberg–Erfurt]] and the [[Erfurt–Leipzig/Halle high-speed railway|Erfurt–Leipzig/Halle]] high-speed lines with the [[Halle–Bebra railway]].

Erfurt was first mentioned in 742, as [[Saint Boniface]] founded the diocese. Although the town did not belong to any of the Thuringian states politically, it quickly became the economic centre of the region and was a member of the [[Hanseatic League]].<ref>Westholm, Gun (1994) ''Hanseatic Sites, Routes and Monuments: A Traveler's Guide to the Past and Present'', Uppsala: Gotland Centre for Baltic Studies</ref> It was part of the [[Electorate of Mainz]] during the [[Holy Roman Empire]], and became part of the [[Kingdom of Prussia]] in 1802. From 1949 until 1990 Erfurt was part of the [[German Democratic Republic]] (East Germany).

The [[University of Erfurt]] was founded in 1379,<ref name="uni-erfurt.de">{{cite web |url=https://www.uni-erfurt.de/en/university-of-erfurt/portrait/history-and-buildings/timeline/ |title=University of Erfurt. History. Timeline |access-date=31 January 2016 |archive-date=27 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180627091125/https://www.uni-erfurt.de/en/university-of-erfurt/portrait/history-and-buildings/timeline/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> making it the first university to be established within the geographic area which constitutes modern Germany. It closed in 1816 and was re-established in 1994. [[Martin Luther]] (1483–1546) was its most famous student, studying there from 1501 before entering [[St. Augustine's Monastery (Erfurt)|St Augustine's Monastery]] in 1505.<ref>Metaxas, Eric (2017) ''Martin Luther: The Man Who Rediscovered God and Changed the World'', New York: Viking Press</ref> Other noted Erfurters include the medieval philosopher and mystic [[Meister Eckhart]] (c. 1260–1328), the Baroque composer [[Johann Pachelbel]] (1653–1706) and the sociologist [[Max Weber]] (1864–1920).

== History ==
{{see also|Timeline of Erfurt}}

=== Prehistory and antiquity ===
To the west of Erfurt in Frienstedt existed, in the AD era, a big [[Germanic peoples|Germanic]] village, which was found during the construction of a highway. Where they also discovered the oldest Germanic word ever discovered in Central Germany written in [[Runes|runic script]] was found on a comb from a sacrificial shaft the word: "kaba". From [[Ancient Rome|Roman Times]], however, they found 200 coins dating back to the third century, plus 150 Roman ceramic fragments and more than 200 [[Fibula (brooch)|fibulae]]. Also 11 inhumation graves of the Haßleben-Leuna group, which is an archeological cultural group.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Schmidt |first1=Christoph |title=Der mitteldeutsche Fundplatz Frienstedt |url=https://zbsa.eu/der-mitteldeutsche-fundplatz-frienstedt/ |website=Zentrum für Baltische und Skandinavische Archäologie (ZBSA) — Zentrum für Baltische und Skandinavische Archäologie |access-date=9 May 2024 |language=de-DE |date=10 June 2021}}</ref>

The [[Melchendorf]] dig in the southern city part showed a settlement from the [[Neolithic period]].{{Refn|group=note|As with the case of an [[Anthropomorphism#Examples in prehistory|anthropomorhic]] figurine excavated in Erfurt, some researchers including Olaf Höckmann<ref>{{cite journal |last=Höckmann |first=Olaf |title=Menschliche Darstellungen in der bandkeramischen Kultur |trans-title=Human representations in the band ceramic culture |language=de |journal=Jb. RGZM |volume=12 |pages=1–34 |year=1965}}</ref> indicated those were intentionally broken, since Neolithic figurines in human figure were found in fragment in high ratio among excavations in central Europe.<ref>{{cite web |title=Gestures from artefacts within domestic rituals in the Neolithic: different attitudes to certain types of cult objects |first=Eszter |last=Bánffy |url=https://semioticon.com/virtuals/archaeology/banffycork.pdf |page=2 |access-date=2017-09-28 |author-link=Eszter Bánffy |website=semioticon.com |archive-date=9 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160909060539/http://www.semioticon.com/virtuals/archaeology/banffycork.pdf |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |chapter=Neolithic Eastern and Central Europe |title=The Oxford Handbook of Prehistoric Figurines |first=Eszter |last=Banffy |editor-first=Timothy |editor-last=Insoll |publisher=Oxford University Press |date=2017-04-13 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CAGpDgAAQBAJ&q=prehistoric+erfurt&pg=PT908 |page=711 |access-date=2017-09-28 |isbn=9780191663109}}</ref><ref>Table of contents is available for "The Oxford Handbook of Prehistoric Figurines" (2017) online.{{cite web |title=Table of Contents |url=http://bvbr.bib-bvb.de:8991/exlibris/aleph/a22_1/apache_media/FYHIP7H9LXV9YD8IL8EGLHBBKMQG41.pdf |access-date=2017-09-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170928060146/http://bvbr.bib-bvb.de:8991/exlibris/aleph/a22_1/apache_media/FYHIP7H9LXV9YD8IL8EGLHBBKMQG41.pdf |archive-date=28 September 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref>}} The [[Thuringii]] inhabited the Erfurt area in ''c.''&nbsp;480 and gave their name to Thuringia in ''c.''&nbsp;500.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Thuringia - Medieval, Reformation, Unification {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Thuringia/History |access-date=2024-05-10 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref>

=== Middle Ages ===
[[File:Schedel erfurt.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Erfurt, woodcut from the ''[[Nuremberg Chronicle]]'', 1493.]]
[[File:Alte Synagoge Erfurt.JPG|thumb|upright=1.2|[[Old Synagogue (Erfurt)|Old Synagogue]], the oldest in Europe (1094).]]
[[File:Collegium Maius Erfurt.JPG|thumb|upright=1.2|''Collegium maius'' building of the old [[University of Erfurt]] (1392)]]
The town is first mentioned in 742 under the name of "Erphesfurt": in that year, [[Saint Boniface]] wrote to [[Pope Zachary]] to inform him that he had established three [[diocese]]s in central Germany, one of them "in a place called Erphesfurt, which for a long time has been inhabited by pagan natives." All three dioceses (the other two were [[Würzburg]] and [[Büraburg]]) were confirmed by Zachary the next year, though in 755 Erfurt was brought into the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Mainz|diocese of Mainz]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Heinemeyer |first=Karl |title=Bonifatius: Heidenopfer, Christuskreuz, Eichenkult |year=2004 |publisher=Stadtverwaltung Erfurt |pages=73–87 |editor=Hardy Eidam |editor2=Marina Moritz |editor3=Gerd-Rainer Riedel |editor4=Kai-Uwe Schierz |language=de |chapter=Bonifatius in Mitteldeutschland}}</ref> That the place was populous already is borne out by archeological evidence, which includes 23 graves and six horse burials from the sixth and seventh centuries.<ref>{{cite book |last=Schmidt |first=Christoph G. |title=Bonifatius: Heidenopfer, Christuskreuz, Eichenkult |year=2004 |publisher=Stadtverwaltung Erfurt |pages=39–56 |editor=Hardy Eidam |editor2=Marina Moritz |editor3=Gerd-Rainer Riedel |editor4=Kai-Uwe Schierz |language=de |chapter=Im Machtbereich der Merowinger: Politische und gesellschaftliche Strukturen in Thüringen vom 6. bis 8. Jahrhundert}}</ref>

Throughout the [[Middle Ages]], Erfurt was an important trading town because of its location, near a [[ford (river)|ford]] across the Gera river. Together with the other five Thuringian [[woad]] towns of [[Gotha (town)|Gotha]], [[Bad Tennstedt|Tennstedt]], [[Arnstadt]] and [[Bad Langensalza|Langensalza]] it was the centre of the German woad trade, which made those cities very wealthy. Erfurt was the junction of important trade routes: the [[Via Regia]] was one of the most used east–west roads between France and Russia (via [[Frankfurt]], Erfurt, [[Leipzig]] and [[Wrocław]]) and another route in the north–south direction was the connection between the [[Baltic Sea]] ports (e. g. [[Lübeck]]) and the potent upper Italian city-states like [[Republic of Venice|Venice]] and [[Milan]].

During the tenth and eleventh centuries both the [[Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor]] and the [[Electorate of Mainz]] held some privileges in Erfurt. The German kings had an important monastery on Petersberg hill and the Archbishops of Mainz collected taxes from the people. Around 1100, some people became free citizens by paying the annual "{{lang|de|Freizins}}" (liberation tax), which marks a first step in becoming an independent city. During the 12th century, as a sign of more and more independence, the citizens built a city wall around Erfurt (in the area of today's {{lang|de|Juri-Gagarin-Ring}}). After 1200, independence was fulfilled and a city council was founded in 1217; the town hall was built in 1275. In the following decades, the council bought a city-owned territory around Erfurt which consisted at its height of nearly 100 villages and castles and even another small town ([[Sömmerda]]). Erfurt became an important regional power between the [[Landgraviate of Thuringia]] around, the Electorate of Mainz to the west and the [[Electorate of Saxony]] to the east. Between 1306 and 1481, Erfurt was allied with the two other major Thuringian cities ([[Mühlhausen]] and [[Nordhausen, Thuringia|Nordhausen]]) in the Thuringian City Alliance and the three cities joined the [[Hanseatic League]] together in 1430. A peak in economic development was reached in the 15th century, when the city had a population of 20,000 making it one of the largest in Germany. Between 1432 and 1446, a second and higher city wall was established. In 1483, a first city fortress was built on Cyriaksburg hill in the southwestern part of the town.

In the year 1184, Erfurt was the location of a notable accident called the ''[[Erfurter Latrinensturz]]'' ('Erfurt latrine fall'). King [[Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor|Henry VI]] held council in a building of the [[Erfurt Cathedral]] to negotiate peace between two of his vassals, Archbishop Konrad I of Mainz and Landgrave Ludwig III of [[Thuringia]]. The amassed weight of all the gathered men proved too heavy for the floor to bear, which collapsed. According to contemporary accounts, dozens of people fell to their death into the [[latrine]] pit below. Ludwig III, Konrad I and Henry VI survived the affair.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.genealogie-mittelalter.de/ludowinger_landgrafen_von_thueringen/chronik_zu_erfurt.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101004181057/http://www.genealogie-mittelalter.de/ludowinger_landgrafen_von_thueringen/chronik_zu_erfurt.html |url-status=dead |title=Chronicle of Erfurt |website=Web Archive |archive-date=2010-10-04}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.thefortweekly.com/issues/issue-1/curio-1-the-erfurter-latrinensturz/ |title=Curio #1: The Erfurter Latrinensturz – The Fortweekly |language=en-US |access-date=2019-09-04 |archive-date=3 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190903042810/http://www.thefortweekly.com/issues/issue-1/curio-1-the-erfurter-latrinensturz/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Jewish community of Erfurt was founded in the 11th century. Together with the Jewish communities in [[Mainz]], [[Worms, Germany|Worms]] and [[Speyer]], it became one of the most influential in Germany. The [[Old Synagogue (Erfurt)|Old Synagogue]] is still extant and is a museum today, as is the [[mikveh]] at Gera river near {{lang|de|Krämerbrücke}}.<ref name="mikveh">Archeologists Discover Medieval Jewish Bath in Erfurt, 12.04.2007, Deutsche Welle, [http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2440473,00.html] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070713002201/http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2440473,00.html|date=13 July 2007}}</ref> In 1349, during the wave of [[Black Death Jewish persecutions]] across Europe, the Jews of Erfurt were rounded up, with [[Erfurt massacre (1349)|more than 100 killed]] and the rest driven from the city. Before the persecution, a wealthy Jewish merchant buried his property in the basement of his house. In 1998, this treasure was found during construction works. The [[Erfurt Treasure]] with various gold and silver objects is shown in the exhibition in the synagogue today.<ref name="AID">{{cite journal |last=Stürzebecher |first=Maria |title=Zwei Schätze: Zeugnisse jüdischer Kultur in Erfurt |journal=Archäologie in Deutschland |issue=3/2014 |pages=32–35 |publisher=WGB |location=Darmstadt |date=June–July 2014 |language=de |issn=0176-8522}}</ref> Only a few years after 1349, the Jews moved back to Erfurt and founded a second community, which was disbanded by the city council in 1454.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-05-01 |title=Jewish Community |url=https://juedisches-leben.erfurt.de/jl/en/middle-ages/jcommunity/index.html |access-date=2024-05-13 |website=Jüdisches Leben |language=en}}</ref> Because of their exceptional testimony to the life of a medieval Jewish community, the Jewish sites in Erfurt were inscribed on the [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage List]] in 2023.<ref name = "unesco">{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1656 |title=Jewish-Medieval Heritage of Erfurt |website=UNESCO World Heritage Convention |publisher=UNESCO |access-date=3 December 2023 |archive-date=20 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230920122841/https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1656 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1379,<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite web |url=https://www.uni-erfurt.de/en/university-of-erfurt/portrait/history-and-buildings/ |title=History and Buildings |access-date=31 January 2016 |archive-date=31 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731033906/https://www.uni-erfurt.de/en/university-of-erfurt/portrait/history-and-buildings/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> the [[University of Erfurt]] was founded. Together with the [[University of Cologne]] it was one of the first city-owned universities in Germany, while they were usually owned by the ''{{lang|de|[[Territorial lord|Landesherren]]}}''. Some buildings of this old university are extant or restored in the "Latin Quarter" in the northern city centre (like {{lang|la|Collegium Maius}}, student dorms "{{lang|de|Georgenburse}}" and others, the hospital and the church of the university). The university quickly became a hotspot of German cultural life in [[Renaissance humanism]] with scholars like [[Ulrich von Hutten]], [[Helius Eobanus Hessus]] and [[Justus Jonas]].{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

=== Early modern period ===
[[File:Erfurt-1650-Merian.jpg|thumb|left|Erfurt in 1650.]]
[[File:Luftbild Statthalterei.jpg|thumb|''{{lang|de|[[:de:Kurmainzische Statthalterei|Kurmainzische Statthalterei]]}}'', seat of the governors of Erfurt (at front).]]
[[File:Erfurt (German States) 1645 10 Ducat (Portugaloser).jpg|thumb|Christina, Queen of Sweden, depicted on a 1645 Erfurt 10 ducat coin.{{refn|group=note|Between 1631 and 1648, during the Thirty Years' War, Erfurt was occupied by Swedish forces,<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tXSrLbIEDBMC |pages=490–491 |title=Standard Catalog of World Gold Coins 1601 – present |edition=6 |publisher=Krause |isbn=978-1-4402-0424-1 |editor-last=Cuhaj |editor-first=George S. |year=2009a }}{{Dead link|date=January 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> thus the [[effigy]] of Queen Christina appears on the 1645 Erfurt 10 [[Ducat]] (Portugaloser). There are seven gold coins known to exist bearing the effigy of Queen Christina: a unique 1649 five ducat,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Friedberg |first1=Arthur |last2=Friedberg |first2=Ira |year=2009 |title=Gold Coins of the World: From Ancient Times to the Present |pages=688–89 |publisher=The Coin & Currency Institute |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TlnoMdZu40UC |edition=8 |isbn=978-0-87184-308-1}}</ref> and six 1645 10 ducat specimen.<ref>{{Citation |title=Kunker Rarities Auction |url=http://news.coinupdate.com/kunker-auctions-preview-1573 |access-date=1 March 2015 |archive-date=23 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230123113043/http://news.coinupdate.com/kunker-auctions-preview-1573/ |url-status=live }}</ref>}}]]
In 1501 [[Martin Luther]] (1483–1546) moved to Erfurt and began his studies at the university. After 1505, he lived at [[St. Augustine's Monastery (Erfurt)|St. Augustine's Monastery]] as a friar. In 1507 he was ordained as a priest in Erfurt Cathedral. He moved permanently to [[Wittenberg]] in 1511. Erfurt was an early adopter of the [[Protestant Reformation]], in 1521.<ref>Metaxas, Eric (2017) ''Martin Luther: The Man Who Rediscovered God and Changed the World'', New York: Viking Press.</ref>

In 1530, the city became one of the first in Europe to be officially bi-confessional with the [[Hammelburg]] Treaty. It kept that status through all the following centuries. The later 16th and the 17th century brought a slow economic decline of Erfurt. Trade shrank, the population was falling and the university lost its influence. The city's independence was endangered. In 1664, the city and surrounding area were brought under the dominion of the [[Electorate of Mainz]] and the city lost its independence.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Scribner |first=R. W. |date=1975 |title=Civic Unity and the Reformation in Erfurt |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/650307 |journal=Past & Present |issue=66 |pages=29–60 |issn=0031-2746}}</ref> The Electorate built a huge fortress on Petersberg hill between 1665 and 1726 to control the city and instituted a governor to rule Erfurt.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

In 1682 and 1683 Erfurt experienced the worst [[Black Death|plague]] years in its history. In 1683 more than half of the population died because of the deadly disease.<ref>{{cite book | last=Kohn | first=G.C. | title=Encyclopedia of Plague and Pestilence: From Ancient Times to the Present | publisher=Facts On File, Incorporated | series=Facts on File Library of World History | year=2007 | isbn=978-1-4381-2923-5 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tzRwRmb09rgC&pg=PA143 | access-date=2024-09-08 | page=143}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | title=The Journal of Hellenic Studies | publisher=Council of the Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies | year=1916 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qEw906pmz6EC&pg=PA153 | access-date=2024-09-08 | page=153}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | last=Aikin | first=J.P. | title=A Ruler's Consort in Early Modern Germany: Aemilia Juliana of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt | publisher=Taylor & Francis | series=Women and Gender in the Early Modern World | year=2016 | isbn=978-1-317-18684-7 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V8WlDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT131 | access-date=2024-09-08 | page=131}}</ref>

In Erfurt, [[witch-hunt]]s are known to have taken place from 1526 to 1705. Trial records are incomplete. Twenty people were involved in witch trials, and at least eight people died.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

During the late 18th century, Erfurt saw another cultural peak. Governor [[Karl Theodor Anton Maria von Dalberg]] had close relations with [[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe]], [[Friedrich Schiller]], [[Johann Gottfried Herder]], [[Christoph Martin Wieland]] and [[Wilhelm von Humboldt]], who often visited him at his court in Erfurt.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

=== Erfurt during the Napoleonic Wars ===
{{main|Principality of Erfurt}}
[[File:Die Napoleonshöhe im Steiger bei Erfurt von NH Dornheim.jpg|thumb|''{{lang|de|Die Napoleonshöhe im Steiger bei Erfurt}}'', painted by {{Interlanguage link multi|Nikolaus Dornheim|de|3=Nikolaus Christian Heinrich Dornheim}} in 1812. Inaugurated in March 1811 to celebrate [[Napoleon]]'s birthday, this [[Greek Revival architecture|Greek-style]] [[temple]] with grotto, flowerbeds and fountain in the ''{{lang|de|Stiegerwald}}'' was burned in November 1813 and completely destroyed by Erfurters and their [[War of the Sixth Coalition|besiegers]] in 1814.]]
Erfurt became part of the [[Kingdom of Prussia]] in 1802, to compensate for territories Prussia lost to France on the [[Left Bank of the Rhine]].<ref name="Reichsdeputationshauptschluss documentArchive.de">{{Cite web |title=Hauptschluß der ausserordentlichen Reichsdeputation |publisher=documentArchiv.de |url=http://www.documentarchiv.de/nzjh/rdhs1803.html |date=25 February 1803 |access-date=17 January 2016 |language=de |archive-date=4 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204205532/http://www.documentarchiv.de/nzjh/rdhs1803.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Reichsdeputationshauptschluss Wikisource">{{ws|The full text of [[:de:s:Hauptschluß der außerordentlichen Reichsdeputation vom 25. Februar 1803|Hauptschluß der außerordentlichen Reichsdeputation vom 25. Februar 1803]] at German Wikisource}}</ref> In the [[Capitulation of Erfurt]], the city, its 12,000 Prussian and Saxon defenders under [[William I of the Netherlands|William VI, Prince of Orange-Nassau]], 65 artillery pieces, and the [[Petersberg Citadel]] and Cyriaksburg Citadel [[:de:Zitadelle Cyriaksburg|Cyriaksburg]], were handed over to the French on 16 October 1806.<ref name="Petre 1907/1993">{{cite book |author=Francis Loraine Petre |title=Napoleon's Conquest of Prussia 1806 |publisher=[[Lionel Leventhal]] |year=1993 |orig-year=First published 1907 |isbn=1-85367-145-2 |pages=194–95 |author-link=Francis Loraine Petre}}</ref> At the time of the capitulation, [[Joachim Murat]], [[Marshal of France]], had about 16,000 troops near Erfurt.<ref name="Smith 1998">{{cite book |author=Digby Smith |title=The Napoleonic Wars Data Book |publisher=Greenhill |year=1998 |isbn=1-85367-276-9 |page=226 |author-link=Digby Smith}}</ref> With the attachment of the [[Saxe-Weimar]] territory of [[Blankenhain]], the city became part of the [[First French Empire]] in 1806 as the [[Principality of Erfurt]], directly subordinate to Napoleon as an "imperial state domain" ({{langx|fr|domaine réservé à l'empereur}}), separate from the [[Confederation of the Rhine]], which the surrounding [[Thuringia]]n states had joined.<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1806–1814">{{cite web |url=http://www.erfurt.de/ef/de/erleben/entdecken/geschichte/chronik/111885.html |title=1806–1814: Erfurt unter französischer Besetzung |date=22 January 2013 |trans-title=1806–1814: Erfurt under French occupation |publisher=Erfurt Stadtverwaltung [Erfurt city administration] |language=de |access-date=2 January 2016 |archive-date=25 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220925043753/https://www.erfurt.de/ef/de/erleben/entdecken/geschichte/chronik/111885.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Erfurt was administered by a civilian and military Senate<ref name="Fürstenkongress">{{cite web |url=http://www.erfurter-fuerstenkongress-1808.de/historie.htm |title=Kurzer historischer Überblick |trans-title=Brief historical overview |work=Napoleon's Fürstenkongress Erfurt |publisher=Euratibor |language=de |access-date=2 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304080322/http://www.erfurter-fuerstenkongress-1808.de/historie.htm |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref> (''{{lang|de|Finanz- und Domänenkammer Erfurt}}'')<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1806–1814"/> under a French governor, based in the {{lang|de|[[:de:Kurmainzische Statthalterei|Kurmainzische Statthalterei]]}}, previously the seat of the city's governor under the Electorate.<ref name="Fürstenkongress"/> Napoleon first visited the principality on 23 July 1807, inspecting the citadels and fortifications.<ref name="Fürstenkongress"/> In 1808, the [[Congress of Erfurt]] was held with [[Napoleon]] and [[Alexander I of Russia]] visiting the city.<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1806–1814"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Erfurt 1808. The Emperor honours German literature |url=https://www.napoleon.org/en/history-of-the-two-empires/articles/erfurt-1808-the-emperor-honours-german-literature/ |access-date=2025-03-05 |website=napoleon.org |language=en-US}}</ref>

During their administration, the French introduced [[street light]]ing and a tax on foreign horses to pay for maintaining the [[road surface]].<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1806–1814"/> The {{lang|de|[[:de:Peterskirche (Erfurt)|Peterskirche]]}} suffered under the French occupation, with its inventory being auctioned off to other local churches – including the [[organ (music)|organ]], [[church bell|bells]] and even the [[steeple|tower]] of the {{lang|la|Corpus Christi}} chapel (''{{lang|de|Fronleichnamskapelle}}'') – and the former monastery's library being donated to the [[University of Erfurt]] (and then to the Boineburg Library when the university closed in 1816).<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1806–1814"/> Similarly the Cyriaksburg Citadel was damaged by the French, with the city-side walls being partially dismantled in the hunt for imagined treasures from the convent, workers being paid from the sale of the building materials.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=upBXAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA21 |title=Ruinen oder Taschenbuch zur Geschichte verfallener Ritterburgen und Schlößer (etc.) |trans-title=Ruins, or: A pocketbook on the history of dilapidated knights' castles |author=Gerhard Robert Walter von Coeckelberghe-Dützele |publisher=Mich. Lechner |date=1834 |page=21 |access-date=23 January 2016 |language=de |quote=''{{lang|de|Nach der unglücklichen Schlacht bei Jena und dem Rückzuge der Preußen, wurde sie durch Kapitulation den Franzosen übergeben, und erhielt anfangs eine ziemlich starke Besatzung; doch wurde sie in der Folge so von ihnen vernachläßigt, daß in einer gewissen Epoche der Marketender Sturm mit seiner Familie und ein alter Unteroffizier ihre ganze Garnison ausmachten. Damals war es, wo der Intendant Devismes und der Domainen-Direktor Gentil in der nach der Stadt zugekehrten Seite der Mauer einen Schatz suchen ließ, der noch aus den Zeiten des ehemaligen Benedektiner-Nonnenklosters hier versteckt seyn sollte, ohne zu bedenken, daß zufolge der oben angeführten, an der Mauer befindlichen Inschrift, kein Schatz von 1478 her in einer Mauer versteckt seyn konnte, die über 100 Jahre darnach erst erbaut worden war; aber die Habsucht eilte hier jeder nähern Untersuchung vor. Bei dieser Gelegenheit wurde auch die alte Burgkapelle demoliert und aus den verkauften Baumaterialien die Arbeiter bezahlt, die beim Schatzgraben hilfreiche Hand geleistet hatten.}}'' [After the unfortunate battle of Jena and the retreat of the Prussians, it was handed over by capitulation to the French, and was initially fairly strongly garrisoned; but was subsequently so neglected that at one time the whole garrison consisted of the [[wikt:sutler|sutler]] Sturm with his family and an old sergeant. At that time, Intendant {{Interlanguage link multi|Pierre Jean Louis de Vismes |lt=de Vismes|fr|Pierre Jean Louis de Vismes}} and Domain-Director Gentil searched in the city-side walls for treasure hidden since the times of the former Benedictine nunnery – without considering that an inscription located on the wall above showed that it had been built just over 100 years later, so no treasure could have been hidden there in 1478, but greed hastened this before any closer investigation. On that occasion the old chapel was demolished, and the workers who had helped dig for treasure were paid from the sale of the building materials.] |archive-date=13 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231113191817/https://books.google.com/books?id=upBXAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA21#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref><!-- ; not being properly repaired until over a decade later, under the Prussians.{{Citation needed |date=January 2016}} -- unsourced within [[:de:Zitadelle Cyriaksburg]] -->

In 1811, to commemorate the birth of the [[Napoleon II|Prince Imperial]], a {{convert|70|ft|adj=on|abbr=off}} ceremonial [[column]] (''{{lang|de|Die Napoleonsäule}}'') of wood and plaster was erected on the [[common land|common]].<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1806–1814"/><ref name="Denkmale Erfurts">{{cite web |url=http://www.thueringer-naturbrief.de/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=97&Itemid=187&limit=1&limitstart=5 |title=Denkmale Erfurts 1806–1814 |trans-title=Monuments of Erfurt 1806–1814 |publisher=Thüringer Naturbrief |language=de |access-date=3 January 2016 |archive-date=25 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220925043753/https://www.thueringer-naturbrief.de/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=97&Itemid=187&limit=1&limitstart=5 |url-status=live }}</ref> Similarly, the ''{{lang|de|Napoleonshöhe}}'' – a [[Greek Revival architecture|Greek-style]] [[temple]] topped by a [[Winged Victory of Samothrace|winged victory]] with shield, sword and lance and containing a [[bust (sculpture)|bust]] of Napoleon sculpted by [[Friedrich Wilhelm Eugen Döll|Friedrich Döll]]<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1806–1814"/><ref name="Denkmale Erfurts"/><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PnLrCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA82 |title=Die Belagerung von Erfurt 1813–1814 |trans-title=The Siege of Erfurt 1813–1814 |author=Frank Palmowski |publisher=Sutton Verlag |date=2015 |orig-year=First published 2013 |isbn=978-3-954-00604-5 |page=82 |language=de |access-date=23 September 2020 |archive-date=13 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231113191707/https://books.google.com/books?id=PnLrCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA82#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> – was erected in the ''{{lang|de|Stiegerwald}}'' woods, including a grotto with fountain and flower beds, using a large pond (''{{lang|la|lavoratorium}}'') from the {{lang|de|Peterskirche}},<ref name="Denkmale Erfurts"/> inaugurated with ceremony on 14 August 1811 after extravagant celebrations for Napoleon's birthday,<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1806–1814"/> which were repeated in 1812 with a concert in the {{lang|de|[[Predigerkirche (Erfurt)|Predigerkirche]]}} conducted by [[Louis Spohr]].<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1806–1814"/>

With the [[War of the Sixth Coalition|Sixth Coalition]] forming after French defeat in Russia, on 24 February 1813 Napoleon ordered the Petersburg Citadel to prepare for [[siege]], visiting the city on 25 April to inspect the fortifications, in particular both Citadels.<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1806–1814"/> On 10 July 1813, Napoleon put {{Interlanguage link multi|Alexandre d'Alton|fr}}, [[nobility of the First French Empire|baron of the Empire]], in charge of the defences of Erfurt.<!-- ref name="Koch" confirms d'Alton's name (see below) but the date and his rank as Baron of the Empire are unsourced within [[:de:Belagerung von Erfurt (1813)]] and [[:fr:Alexandre d'Alton]]--> However, when the French decreed that 1000 men would be conscripted into the {{lang|fr|Grande Armée}}, the recruits were joined by other citizens in rioting on 19 July that led to 20 arrests, of whom 2 were [[capital punishment|sentenced to death]] by French [[court-martial]];<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1806–1814"/> as a result, the French ordered the closure of all inns and alehouses.<ref>{{cite book |editor=Willibald Gutsche |title=Geschichte der Stadt Erfurt |trans-title=History of the city of Erfurt |edition=2nd revised |language=de |location=Weimar |publisher=Böhlau |year=1989 |isbn=3-7400-0095-3}}</ref>

Within a week of the Sixth Coalition's decisive [[battle of Leipzig|victory at Leipzig]] (16–19 October 1813), however, Erfurt was besieged by Prussian, Austrian and Russian troops under the command of Prussian Lt Gen [[Friedrich Graf Kleist von Nollendorf|von Kleist]].<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1806–1814"/><ref name="Koch">{{cite book |author=Christoph Wilhelm von Koch |title=Histoire abrégée des traités de paix entre les puissances de l'Europe depuis la paix de Westphalie, Volume 3 |trans-title=Abridged history of the peace treaties between the powers of Europe since the Peace of Westphalia, Volume 3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7lw_AAAAcAAJ&pg=PA303 |publisher=Meline, Cans et Compagnie |year=1838 |language=fr |quote=''{{lang|fr|Le général Kleist assiégeait Erfurt. Par suite d'une capitulation signée le 20 décembre, le générale français d'Alton se retira dans les deux forts de Petersberg et Cyriacsbourg, et la ville fut remise aux Prussiens le 6 janvier 1814.}}'' [General Kleist laid siege to Erfurt. As a result of a capitulation signed on 20 December, the French general d'Alton withdrew to the two forts of Petersberg and Cyriaksburg, and the town was handed over to the Prussians on 6 January 1814.] |author-link=Christoph Wilhelm von Koch |access-date=23 September 2020 |archive-date=13 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231113191707/https://books.google.com/books?id=7lw_AAAAcAAJ&pg=PA303#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> After a first capitulation signed by d'Alton on 20 December 1813 the French troops withdrew to the two fortresses of Petersberg and Cyriaksburg,<ref name="Koch"/> allowing for the Coalition forces to march into Erfurt on 6 January 1814 to jubilant greetings;<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1814–1850">{{cite web |url=http://www.erfurt.de/ef/de/erleben/entdecken/geschichte/chronik/111888.html |title=1814–1850: Erfurt im preußischen Staat |date=22 January 2013 |trans-title=1814–1850: Erfurt in the Prussian state |publisher=Erfurt Stadtverwaltung [Erfurt city administration] |language=de |access-date=3 January 2016 |archive-date=22 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922074157/https://www.erfurt.de/ef/de/erleben/entdecken/geschichte/chronik/111888.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Hühn 1839">{{citation |author=Georg Friedrich Hühn |title=Kurzgefasste Nachricht von der Belagerung, Blokade und Einzug der Königlich Preußischen Truppen in Erfurt. Vom 21sten Oktober 1813 bis zum 8ten Januar 1814. In einem Briefe als ein Journal abgefasst, und an einen vertrauten Freund abgesendet. Bei Gelegenheit der 25jährigen Jubelfeier neu abgedruckt |trans-title=Concise news of the siege, blockade and entry of the Royal Prussian troops into Erfurt. From 21 October 1813 to 8 January 1814. In a letter as a journal written and sent to a trusted friend. Reprinted on the occasion of the 25th jubilee |location=Erfurt |year=1839 |postscript=.}}</ref> the ''{{lang|de|Napoleonsäule}}'' ceremonial column was burned and destroyed as a symbol of the citizens' oppression under the French;<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1806–1814"/><ref name="Denkmale Erfurts"/><ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1814–1850"/><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PnLrCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA25 |title=Die Belagerung von Erfurt 1813–1814 |trans-title=The Siege of Erfurt 1813–1814 |author=Frank Palmowski |publisher=Sutton Verlag |date=2015 |orig-year=First published 2013 |isbn=978-3-954-00604-5 |page=25 |access-date=17 January 2016 |language=de |quote=''{{lang|de|Preußische Truppen marschieren in der Stadt ein. Auf dem Anger kommt es zu Jubelszenen. Der Napoleon-Obelisk wird zerstört.}}'' [Prussian troops march into the city. On the Anger this leads to scenes of jubilation. The Napoleon obelisk is destroyed.]}}</ref> similarly the ''{{lang|de|Napoleonshöhe}}'' was burned on 1 November 1813 and completely destroyed by Erfurters and their besiegers in 1814.<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1806–1814"/><ref name="Denkmale Erfurts"/><!-- This paragraph might also benefit Beck's painting of the Napoleonsäule all aflame, also from<ref name="Denkmale Erfurts"/>; while his DoD is unclear it will clearly be more than 70ya, so that painting too will be out of copyright. --> After a call for volunteers 3 days later, 300 Erfurters joined the Coalition armies in France.<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1814–1850"/> Finally, in May 1814, the French capitulated fully,<!-- date 5 May is unsourced within [[:de:Peterskirche (Erfurt)]] --> with 1,700 French troops vacating the Petersberg and Cyriaksburg fortresses.<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1814–1850"/><!-- date 7 May is contradicted by [[:de:Belagerung von Erfurt (1813)]] --> During the two and a half months of siege, the mortality rate rose in the city greatly; 1,564 Erfurt citizens died in 1813, around a thousand more than the previous year.<ref name="Hühn 1839"/>

After the [[Congress of Vienna]], Erfurt was restored to [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussia]] on 21 June 1815, becoming the capital of one of the three districts (''{{lang|de|Regierungsbezirke}}'') of the new [[Province of Saxony]], but some southern and eastern parts of Erfurter lands joined Blankenhain in being transferred to the [[Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach]] the following September.<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1814–1850"/> Although enclosed by [[Thuringia]]n territory in the west, south and east, the city remained part of the Prussian [[Province of Saxony]] until 1944.<ref name=":0" />

=== Since 1815 ===
[[File:Kaffeetrichter2.JPG|thumb|left|Streetscape in the southern city extension ({{lang|de|[[Gründerzeit]]}} style).]]
[[File:Kieler Straße Erfurt.JPG|thumb|Housing projects in [[Bauhaus]] style from 1930.]]
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-J0422-0203-002, Erfurt, Hotel "Erfurter Hof".jpg|thumb|Hotel "{{lang|de|Erfurter Hof}}", place of the first meeting of [[East Germany|East]] and [[West Germany|West]] German heads of government in 1970.]]
After the [[Revolutions of 1848 in the German states|1848 Revolution]], many Germans desired to have a united national state. An attempt in this direction was the failed [[Erfurt Union]] of German states in 1850.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Erfurt Union Parliament {{!}} German Confederation, Reforms, Nationalism {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/event/Erfurt-Union-Parliament |access-date=2024-05-12 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref>

The [[Industrial Revolution]] reached Erfurt in the 1840s, when the [[Thuringian Railway]] connecting [[Berlin]] and [[Frankfurt]] was built. During the following years, many factories in different sectors were founded. One of the biggest was the "Royal Gun Factory of [[Prussia]]" in 1862. After the [[Unification of Germany]] in 1871, Erfurt moved from the southern border of Prussia to the centre of Germany, so the fortifications of the city were no longer needed. The demolition of the city fortifications in 1873 led to a construction boom in Erfurt, because it was now possible to build in the area formerly occupied by the city walls and beyond. Many public and private buildings emerged and the infrastructure (such as a tramway, hospitals, and schools) improved rapidly. The number of inhabitants grew from 40,000 around 1870 to 130,000 in 1914, and the city expanded in all directions.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

The "[[Erfurt Program]]" was adopted by the [[Social Democratic Party of Germany]] during its congress at Erfurt in 1891.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Internet History Sourcebooks: Modern History |url=https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/mod/1891erfurt.asp |access-date=2023-10-24 |website=sourcebooks.fordham.edu |archive-date=2 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231202135744/https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/mod/1891erfurt.asp |url-status=live }}</ref>

Between the wars, the city kept growing. Housing shortages were fought with building programmes and social infrastructure was broadened according to the welfare policy in the [[Weimar Republic]]. The [[Great Depression]] between 1929 and 1932 led to a disaster for Erfurt, nearly one out of three became unemployed. Conflicts between far-left and far-right-oriented milieus increased and many inhabitants supported the new Nazi government and [[Adolf Hitler]]. Others, especially some communist workers, put up resistance against the new administration. In 1938, the new synagogue was destroyed during the {{lang|de|[[Kristallnacht]]}}. Jews lost their property and emigrated or were deported to [[Nazi concentration camps]] (together with many communists). In 1914, the company ''[[Topf and Sons]]'' began the manufacture of crematoria later becoming the market leader in this industry. Under the Nazis, ''JA Topf & Sons'' supplied specially developed crematoria, ovens and associated plants to the [[Auschwitz-Birkenau]], [[Buchenwald]] and [[Mauthausen-Gusen]] concentration camps. On 27 January 2011 a memorial and museum dedicated to the Holocaust victims was opened at the former company premises in Erfurt.<ref>Schüle, Annegret (2017) ''J.A Topf & Söhne: ein Erfurter Familieunternehmen und der Holocaust''. Erfurt: Landeszentrale für politische Bildung Thüringen</ref>

During [[World War II]], Erfurt experienced more than 27 British and American air raids, about 1600 civilians died. Bombed as a target of the [[Oil Campaign of World War II]], Erfurt suffered only limited damage and was captured on 12 April 1945, by the US [[80th Infantry Division (United States)|80th Infantry Division]].<ref>Stanton, Shelby, ''World War II Order of Battle: An Encyclopedic Reference to U.S. Army Ground Forces from Battalion through Division, 1939–1946'', Stackpole Books (Revised Edition 2006), p. 150</ref> On 3 July, American troops left the city, which then became part of the [[Allied Occupation Zones in Germany|Soviet Zone of Occupation]] and eventually of the German Democratic Republic ([[East Germany]]). In 1948, Erfurt became the capital of [[Thuringia]], replacing [[Weimar]]. In 1952, the {{lang|de|[[States of Germany|Länder]]}} in the GDR were dissolved in favour of centralization under the new socialist government. Erfurt then became the capital of a new "{{lang|de|[[Erfurt (Bezirk)|Bezirk]]}}" (district). In 1953, the {{lang|de|[[Hochschule]]}} of education was founded, followed by the {{lang|de|Hochschule}} of medicine in 1954, the first academic institutions in Erfurt since the closing of the university in 1816.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

On 19 March 1970, the East and West German heads of government [[Willi Stoph]] and [[Willy Brandt]] met in Erfurt, the first such meeting since the division of Germany. During the 1970s and 1980s, as the economic situation in GDR worsened, many old buildings in city centre decayed, while the government fought against the housing shortage by building large {{lang|de|[[Plattenbau]]}} settlements in the periphery. The [[Peaceful Revolution]] of 1989/1990 led to [[German reunification]].{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
[[File:DDR Street signs.jpg|thumb|Socialist-era street signs removed from around the city of Erfurt after 1990.]]

With the re-formation of the state of [[Thuringia]] in 1990, the city became the state capital. After reunification, a deep economic crisis occurred in Eastern Germany. Many factories closed and many people lost their jobs and moved to the former West Germany. At the same time, many buildings were redeveloped and the infrastructure improved massively. In 1994, the new university was opened, as was the Fachhochschule in 1991. Between 2005 and 2008, the economic situation improved as the unemployment rate decreased and new enterprises developed. In addition, the population began to increase once again.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

A [[Erfurt school massacre|school shooting]] occurred on 26 April 2002 at the Gutenberg-Gymnasium.<ref name="Observer20020428">{{Cite news |last=Hooper |first=John |date=2002-04-28 |title=How teacher stopped the school slaughter |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/apr/28/schools.education |access-date=2013-04-25 |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=3 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231103085715/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/apr/28/schools.education |url-status=live }}</ref>

Since the 1990s, organized crime has gained a foothold in Erfurt, with several mafia groups, including the [[Armenian mafia]] present in the city. Among other events, there has been a robbery and an arson attack targeting the gastronomy sector and in 2014 there was a shoot-out in an open street.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weiß |first=Felix |date=2019-04-15 |title=German police closing in on Armenian mafia |url=https://georgian-knot.com/2019/04/15/german-police-closing-in-on-armenian-mafia/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230610113601/https://georgian-knot.com/2019/04/15/german-police-closing-in-on-armenian-mafia/ |archive-date=2023-06-10 |access-date=2023-09-18 |website=The Georgian Knot |language=de-DE}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Baumgartner |first=Pete |date=2018-11-09 |title=Armenia Backs Berlin Envoy Despite Reported Ties To Mafia In Germany |language=en |work=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/armenia-backs-berlin-envoy-smbatian-mafia-ties-germany/29590378.html |url-status=live |access-date=2023-09-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220814092023/https://www.rferl.org/a/armenia-backs-berlin-envoy-smbatian-mafia-ties-germany/29590378.html |archive-date=2022-08-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sattarov |first=Orkhan |date=2015-11-09 |title=Germany: Armenian mafia controls the streets of Erfurt |url=https://en.vestikavkaza.ru/articles/Germany-Armenian-mafia-controls-the-streets-of-Erfurt.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230918193603/https://en.vestikavkaza.ru/articles/Germany-Armenian-mafia-controls-the-streets-of-Erfurt.html |archive-date=2023-09-18 |access-date=2023-09-18 |website=en.vestikavkaza.ru |language=en}}</ref>

== Geography ==
[[File:Erfurt.Gera Fluss.jpg|thumb|Gera river in the city centre.]]

=== Topography ===
Erfurt is situated in the south of the [[Thuringian basin]], a fertile agricultural area between the [[Harz]] mountains {{cvt|80|km|0}} to the north and the [[Thuringian Forest]] {{cvt|30|km|0}} to the southwest. Whereas the northern parts of the city area are flat, the southern ones consist of hilly landscape up to 430 m of elevation. In this part lies the municipal forest of ''{{lang|de|Steigerwald}}'' with [[Fagus sylvatica|beeches]] and [[Quercus robur|oaks]] as main tree species. To the east and to the west are some non-forested hills so that the [[Gera (river)|Gera]] river valley within the town forms a basin. North of the city are some [[gravel pit]]s in operation, while others are abandoned, flooded and used as leisure areas.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nordstrand: Erfurt's local recreation area |url=https://placesofgermany.de/en/places/erfurt-north-beach/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=Places of Germany |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Climate ===
Erfurt has an [[oceanic climate]] (''Cfb'') bordering on a [[humid continental climate]] (''Dfb'') according to the [[Köppen climate classification]] system.<ref name = koppen>{{cite journal |last=Kottek |first=M. |author2=J. Grieser |author3=C. Beck |author4=B. Rudolf |author5=F. Rubel |title=World Map of the Köppen-Geiger climate classification updated |journal=Meteorol. Z. |volume=15 |pages=259–263 |url=http://www.schweizerbart.de/resources/downloads/paper_free/55034.pdf |doi=10.1127/0941-2948/2006/0130 |access-date=22 January 2013 |year=2006 |issue=3 |bibcode=2006MetZe..15..259K |archive-date=12 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190412021016/http://www.schweizerbart.de/resources/downloads/paper_free/55034.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=Peel>{{cite journal |author1=Peel, M. C. |author2=Finlayson B. L. |author3=McMahon, T. A. |year=2007 |title=Updated world map of the Köppen–Geiger climate classification |journal=Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. |volume=11 |issue=5 |pages=1633–1644 |doi=10.5194/hess-11-1633-2007 |issn=1027-5606 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2007HESS...11.1633P}} ''(direct: [http://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/11/1633/2007/hess-11-1633-2007.pdf Final Revised Paper] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120203170339/http://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/11/1633/2007/hess-11-1633-2007.pdf |date=3 February 2012 }})''</ref> Summers are warm and sometimes humid with average high temperatures of {{cvt|23|C|F}} and lows of {{cvt|12|C|F}}. Winters are relatively cold with average high temperatures of {{cvt|2|C|F}} and lows of {{cvt|-3|C|F}}. The city's topography creates a microclimate caused by the location inside a basin with sometimes [[inversion (meteorology)|inversion]] in winter (quite cold nights under {{cvt|-20|C|F}}) and inadequate air circulation in summer. Annual precipitation is only {{cvt|535|mm|in|sp=us}} with moderate rainfall throughout the year. Light snowfall mainly occurs from December through February, but snow cover does not usually remain for long.<ref name=NCEI9120normals/>

The Erfurt ([[Erfurt–Weimar Airport]]) weather station has recorded the following extreme values:<ref name=sklima/>
* Its highest temperature was {{convert|37.6|C|F}} on [[2022_European_heatwaves#July_heatwave_2|20 July 2022]].
* Its lowest temperature was {{convert|-25.0|C|F}} on 11 January 1982.
* Its greatest annual precipitation was {{convert|766.9|mm|in|abbr=on}} in 2002.
* Its least annual precipitation was {{convert|295.6|mm|in|abbr=on}} in 1982.
* The longest annual sunshine was 2,039.4 hours in 2022.
* The shortest annual sunshine was 1,341 hours in 1977.

{{Erfurt-Weimar weatherbox}}

=== Administrative divisions ===
[[File:Erfurt-Ortsteile.png|thumb|Districts of Erfurt.]]
Erfurt abuts the districts of [[Sömmerda (district)|Sömmerda]] (municipalities [[Witterda]], [[Elxleben]], [[Walschleben]], [[Riethnordhausen, Thuringia|Riethnordhausen]], [[Nöda]], [[Alperstedt]], [[Großrudestedt]], [[Udestedt]], [[Kleinmölsen]] and [[Großmölsen]]) in the north, [[Weimarer Land]] (municipalities [[Niederzimmern]], [[Nohra]], [[Mönchenholzhausen]] and [[Klettbach]]) in the east, [[Ilm-Kreis]] (municipalities [[Kirchheim, Thuringia|Kirchheim]], [[Rockhausen]] and [[Amt Wachsenburg]]) in the south and [[Gotha (district)|Gotha]] (municipalities [[Nesse-Apfelstädt]], [[Nottleben]], [[Zimmernsupra]] and [[Bienstädt]]) in the west.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

The city itself is divided into 53 districts. The centre is formed by the district ''{{lang|de|Altstadt}}'' (old town) and the {{lang|de|[[Gründerzeit]]}} districts ''{{lang|de|Andreasvorstadt}}'' in the northwest, ''{{lang|de|Johannesvorstadt}}'' in the northeast, ''{{lang|de|Krämpfervorstadt}}'' in the east, ''{{lang|de|Daberstedt}}'' in the southeast, ''{{lang|de|Löbervorstadt}}'' in the southwest and ''{{lang|de|Brühlervorstadt}}'' in the west. More former industrial districts are ''{{lang|de|Ilversgehofen}}'' (incorporated in 1911), ''{{lang|de|Hohenwinden}}'' and ''{{lang|de|Sulzer Siedlung}}'' in the north. Another group of districts is marked by [[Plattenbau]] settlements, constructed during the [[East Germany]] period: ''{{lang|de|Berliner Platz}}'', ''{{lang|de|Moskauer Platz}}'', ''{{lang|de|Rieth}}'', ''{{lang|de|Roter Berg}}'' and ''{{lang|de|Johannesplatz}}'' in the northern as well as ''{{lang|de|Melchendorf}}'', ''{{lang|de|Wiesenhügel}}'' and ''{{lang|de|Herrenberg}}'' in the southern city parts.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

Eventually, there are many villages with an average population of approximately 1,000 which were incorporated during the 20th century; they have mostly retained a rural character to date, however:{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* Alach (incorporated 1994)
* Azmannsdorf (1994)
* Bindersleben (1950)
* Bischleben-Stedten (1950)
* Büßleben (1994)
* Dittelstedt (1994)
* Egstedt (1994)
* Ermstedt (1994)
* Frienstedt (1994)
* Gispersleben (1950)
* Gottstedt (1994)
* Hochheim (1938)
* Hochstedt (1994)
* Kerspleben (1994)
* Kühnhausen (1994)
* Linderbach (1994)
* Marbach (1950)
* Mittelhausen (1994)
* Möbisburg-Rhoda (1950)
* Molsdorf (1994)
* Niedernissa (1994)
* Rohda (1994)
* Salomonsborn (1994)
* Schaderode (1994)
* Schmira (1950)
* Schwerborn (1994)
* Stotternheim (1994)
* Tiefthal (1994)
* Töttelstädt (1994)
* Töttleben (1994)
* Urbich (1994)
* Vieselbach (1994)
* Wallichen (1994)
* Waltersleben (1994)
* Windischholzhausen (1994)
{{div col end}}

==== Erfurt-Southeast ====
[[File:Herrenberg.JPG|thumb|Herrenberg Street in Erfurt-Southeast.]]
Erfurt-Southeast ({{langx|de|Erfurt-Südost|link=no}}) is the collective name for a series of prefabricated housing areas that emerged in the southeast of Erfurt in the last ten years of East Germany.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}} After Erfurt-Nord, Erfurt-Südost is the second-largest prefabricated building area in the city. The problems associated with large housing estates are not as pronounced in the southeast as in the north, but they are still present.

The districts of Melchendorf, Herrenberg and Wiesenhügel belong to Erfurt-Südost, all of which were formed from the former local area of Melchendorf. The village of Melchendorf with around 1,000 inhabitants lies between the prefabricated building areas. In addition to the old village, the district of Melchendorf also includes the prefab housing areas of Drosselberg and Buchenberg as well as several four-story apartment blocks from the 1950s and 1960s on {{lang|de|Kranichfelder Straße}}. Around 24,000 people still live in the large settlement, which was once designed for almost 40,000 inhabitants.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

== Population ==
[[File:Population development of Erfurt 1493-2014 (small).svg|thumb|History of the population from 1493 to 2014.]]
{{historical populations
|1493|18680
|1620|19000
|1632|13000
|1710|14338
|1802|16938
|1817|14846
|1871|43616
|1900|85202
|1910|111463
|1925|136555
|1933|146270
|1939|165615
|1951|190487
|1961|186369
|1971|198265
|1976|205483
|1981|212012
|1986|217134
|1991|204912
|1996|208179
|2001|200126
|2011|200868|2022|218200|footnote=Population size may be affected by changes in administrative divisions.}}

{| class="wikitable floatright"
|+ The largest groups of foreign residents, 2022<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.erfurt.de/mam/ef/service/mediathek/publikationen/2015/heft_87_bev%C3%B6lkerung_2013.pdf |title=Erfurt: Population 2013. Page 21-23. |access-date=9 April 2015 |archive-date=5 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151005233606/http://www.erfurt.de/mam/ef/service/mediathek/publikationen/2015/heft_87_bev%C3%B6lkerung_2013.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>{{update inline|reason=Citation is from 2013 but population numbers are from 2022|date=June 2023}}
|-
! Nationality || Population
|-
|Ukraine || 3,596
|-
|Syria || 2,315
|-
|Poland || 2,025
|-
|Hungary || 1,435
|-
|Vietnam || 1,252
|-
|Italy || 1,143
|-
|Romania || 1,014
|-
|Afghanistan || 955
|-
|Bulgaria || 943
|-
|Serbia || 737
|}

Around the year 1500, the city had 18,000 inhabitants and was one of the largest cities in the [[Holy Roman Empire]]. The population then more or less stagnated until the 19th&nbsp;century. The population of Erfurt was 21,000 in 1820, and increased to 32,000 in 1847, the year of rail connection as industrialization began. In the following decades Erfurt grew up to 130,000 at the beginning of [[World War I]] and 190,000 inhabitants in 1950. A maximum was reached in 1988 with 220,000 persons. In 1991, after the [[German reunification]] and when Erfurt became the capital of [[Thuringia]] state, it had a population of about 205,000. The bad economic situation in eastern Germany after the reunification resulted in a decline in population, which fell to 200,000 in 2002 before rising again to 206,000 in 2011. The average growth of population between 2009 and 2012 was approximately 0.68 % p.&nbsp;a., whereas the population in bordering rural regions is shrinking with accelerating tendency. Suburbanization played only a small role in Erfurt. It occurred after reunification for a short time in the 1990s, but most of the suburban areas were situated within the administrative city borders. Erfurt is also the 10th-largest city in Germany by area with area of {{cvt|269.17|km2|sqmi}}.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

The birth deficit was 200 in 2012, this is −1.0 per 1,000 inhabitants (Thuringian average: −4.5; national average: −2.4). The net migration rate was +8.3 per 1,000 inhabitants in 2012 (Thuringian average: −0.8; national average: +4.6).<ref>According to {{lang|de|[http://www.tls.thueringen.de/startseite_hinweis.asp Thüringer Landesamt für Statistik]}}</ref> The most important regions of origin of Erfurt migrants are rural areas of Thuringia, [[Saxony-Anhalt]] and [[Saxony]] as well as foreign countries like Poland, Russia, Syria, Afghanistan and Hungary. Erfurt is today one of the popular cities in former [[East Germany]] due to its universities and broadcasting companies.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}<ref>{{Cite news |title=Erfurt in Thüringen. Alles so hübsch beieinander hier |language=de |trans-title=Erfurt in Thuringia. Everything is so prettily put together here. |url=https://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/erfurt-tipps-fuer-thueringens-hauptstadt-fotostrecke-169496.html |newspaper=[[Der Spiegel (website)|Der Spiegel]] |date=2019-07-04 |access-date=2024-04-23}}</ref>

Like other cities within the area of former East Germany, foreigners account only for a small share of Erfurt's population: {{circa}}&nbsp;3.0 % are non-Germans by citizenship and overall 5.9 % are migrants (according to the [[2011 European Union census]]).{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

Due to the official atheism of the former [[Communism|communist]] East German regime, most of the population is non-religious. 14.8 % are members of the [[Evangelical Church in Central Germany]] and 6.8 % are [[Catholic Church|Catholics]] (according to the 2011 EU census). The Jewish community consists of 500 members. Most of them migrated to Erfurt from Russia and Ukraine in the 1990s.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

== Culture, sights and cityscape ==

=== Residents notable in cultural history ===
{{see also|List of people from Erfurt}}

The theologian, philosopher and mystic [[Meister Eckhart]] (c. 1260–1328) entered the [[Dominican Order|Dominican]] monastery ({{lang|de|Predigerkloster}}) in Erfurt when he was aged about 18 (around 1275). Eckhart was the Dominican [[Prior (ecclesiastical)|prior]] at Erfurt from 1294 until 1298, and Vicar of Thuringia from 1298 to 1302. After a year in Paris, he returned to Erfurt in 1303 and administered his duties as Provincial of Saxony from there until 1311.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.meister-eckhart-erfurt.de/predigerkloster |title=Predigerkloster. Die Predigerkirche und das Predigerkloster als Heimat von Meister Eckhart |website=meister-eckhart-erfurt.de |publisher=Evangelische Predigergemeinde Erfurt |access-date=2022-05-27 |archive-date=7 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307171104/https://www.meister-eckhart-erfurt.de/predigerkloster |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Martin Luther]] (1483–1546) studied law and philosophy at the [[University of Erfurt]] from 1501. He lived in [[St. Augustine's Monastery (Erfurt)|St&nbsp;Augustine's Monastery]] in Erfurt, as a friar from 1505 to 1511.<ref name="augustinerkloster.de">{{Cite web |url=http://www.augustinerkloster.de/en.html |title=Augustinerkloster |access-date=31 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160205224722/http://www.augustinerkloster.de/en.html |archive-date=5 February 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[Johann Pachelbel]] (1653–1706) served as organist at the {{lang|de|[[Predigerkirche (Erfurt)|Predigerkirche]]}} (Preachers Church) in Erfurt from June 1678 until August 1690. Pachelbel composed approximately seventy pieces for organ while in Erfurt.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

The city is the birthplace of one of [[Johann Sebastian Bach]]'s cousins, [[Johann Bernhard Bach]],<ref name="Laurson 2017 o445">{{cite web | last=Laurson | first=Jens F. | title=Classical CD Of The Week: Who Is Johann Bernhard Bach? | website=Forbes | date=July 26, 2017 | url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jenslaurson/2017/07/26/classical-cd-of-the-week-who-is-johann-bernhard-bach/?sh=3bfe01fc297d | access-date=February 10, 2024}}</ref> as well as Johann Sebastian Bach's father [[Johann Ambrosius Bach]].<ref name="Bach_Oxford">{{cite web |title=Overview: Bach |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=Oxford Reference |url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095439206 |access-date=2024-02-09 |quote=Johann Ambrosius Bach (b Erfurt, 1645; d Eisenach, 1695)}}</ref> Bach's parents were married in 1668 in the {{lang|de|[[Kaufmannskirche]]}} (Merchant's Church) that still exists on the main square of {{lang|de|Anger}}.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Blazeski |first=Goran |date=2018-04-06 |title=Krämerbrücke, the beautiful 600-year-old Merchant's Bridge, packed with half-timbered buildings {{!}} The Vintage News |url=https://www.thevintagenews.com/2018/04/06/kramerbrucke-merchants-bridge-2/ |access-date=2024-04-08 |website=thevintagenews |language=en}}</ref>

[[Max Weber]] (1864–1920) was born in Erfurt.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lehmann |first=Hartmut |title=Weber's Protestant Ethic |publisher=Cambridge University Press |date=1995 |page=118}}</ref> He was a sociologist, philosopher, lawyer, and political economist whose ideas have profoundly influenced modern social theory and social research.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Max Weber - Sociology, Bureaucracy, Capitalism {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Max-Weber-German-sociologist/Later-works |access-date=2024-04-08 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref>

After 1906 the composer [[Richard Wetz]] (1875–1935) lived in Erfurt and became the leading person in the city's musical life. His major works were written here, including three symphonies, a Requiem and a [[Christmas Oratorio]].

The textile designer [[Margaretha Reichardt]] (1907–1984) was born and died in Erfurt. She studied at the [[Bauhaus]] from 1926 to 1930,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Korn |first=Ingolf |date=2012 |editor=Margaretha Reichardt-Haus |title=Bauhaus Reisebuch |isbn=978-3-8321-9411-6 |publisher=Dumont Buchverlag |page=74}}</ref> and while there worked with [[Marcel Breuer]] on his innovative chair designs. Her former home and weaving workshop in Erfurt, the ''Margaretha Reichardt Haus'', is now a museum, managed by the [[Angermuseum]] Erfurt.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

Famous contemporary musicians from Erfurt are [[Clueso]], the [[Boogie Pimps]] and [[Yvonne Catterfeld]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Clueso - Biography |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1859549/bio/ |access-date=2025-03-11 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Museums ===
Erfurt has a great variety of museums:

* The ''{{lang|de|Stadtmuseum}}'' (municipal museum) shows aspects of Erfurt's history with a focus on the Middle Ages, early modern history, Martin Luther and the university. Other parts of the {{lang|de|Stadtmuseum}} are the ''{{lang|de|Neue Mühle}}'' (new mill), an old water mill still in operation, and the ''{{lang|de|Benaryspeicher}}'' (Benary's magazine) with an exhibition of old printing machines.<ref>{{Cite web |title=European Destinations: Erfurt, Germany |url=https://www.letsgotravelling.com.au/dest-erfurt.html |access-date=2024-04-09 |website=www.letsgotravelling.com.au}}</ref>
* The ''{{lang|de|Alte Synagoge}}'' ([[Old Synagogue (Erfurt)|Old Synagogue]]) is one of the oldest synagogue buildings in Europe.<ref name=altsyn>Jewish Life in Erfurt. Old synagogue. [http://juedisches-leben.erfurt.de/jl/en/middle-ages/old_synagogue/index.html Jewish Life in Erfurt. Old synagogue.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161031151947/http://juedisches-leben.erfurt.de/jl/en/middle-ages/old_synagogue/index.html |date=31 October 2016 }} Retrieved 31 October 2016</ref> It is now a museum of local Jewish history. It houses facsimiles of medieval Hebrew manuscripts and the [[Erfurt Treasure]], a hoard of coins and goldsmiths' work that is assumed to have belonged to Jews who hid them in 1349 at the time of the [[Erfurt massacre (1349)|Black Death pogroms]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Neues Welterbe würdigt jüdisch-mittelalterliche Monumente Erfurts |trans-title=New world heritage site recognises the Jewish Middle Ages monuments of Erfurt |url=https://www.unesco.de/kultur-und-natur/welterbe/welterbe-deutschland/neues-welterbe-2023 |access-date=1 September 2024 |website=Deutsche UNESCO-Kommission}}</ref>
* The ''{{lang|de|Erinnerungsort Topf & Söhne}}'' ([[Topf and Sons]] memorial) is on the site of the factory of the company which constructed crematoria for [[Auschwitz]] and other concentration camps. Its exhibitions explore the collaboration of a civilian company with the National Socialist regime in [[the Holocaust]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Topf & Sons - Builders of the Auschwitz Ovens Place of Remembrance |url=https://www.topfundsoehne.de/ts/en/index.html |access-date=1 September 2024 |website=Topf & Sons - Builders of the Auschwitz Ovens}}</ref>
* [[Memorial and Education Centre Andreasstrasse]], (Stasi Museum). On the site of the former Erfurt [[Stasi]] prison, where over 5000 people were held. On 4 December 1989, the building was occupied by local residents. It was the first of many such takeovers of Stasi buildings in the former East Germany.<ref>The Local (4 December 2014) [http://www.thelocal.de/20141204/how-ordinary-people-smashed-the-stasi How ordinary people smashed the Stasi] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160914162108/http://www.thelocal.de/20141204/how-ordinary-people-smashed-the-stasi |date=14 September 2016 }}. Retrieved 15 January 2018</ref> Today it has exhibitions on the history of East Germany and the activities of its regime.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
* The [[Angermuseum]] is one of the main art museums of Erfurt, named after Anger Square, where it is located. It focuses on modern graphic arts, medieval sculpture and early modern artisanal handicraft.<ref>{{Cite web |last=e.V |first=Deutsche Zentrale für Tourismus |title="Angermuseum" Erfurt - Germany Travel |url=https://www.germany.travel/fr/accessibilite-pour-tous/page-de-details.html |access-date=2024-04-09 |website=www.germany.travel |language=fr}}</ref>
* The ''{{lang|de|Kunsthalle Erfurt}}'' (Erfurt City Art Gallery) has exhibitions of contemporary art, of local, national and international artists.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Duca |first=Marc Di |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Lonely_Planet_Germany/uIycEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Kunsthalle+Erfurt&pg=PT409&printsec=frontcover |title=Lonely Planet Germany |date=March 2022 |publisher=Lonely Planet |isbn=978-1-83869-543-9 |language=en}}</ref>
* The ''[[Margaretha Reichardt]] Haus'' is the home and workshop of the textile designer and former [[Bauhaus]] student, Margaretha Reichardt (1907–1984).<ref>[https://www.visit-thuringia.com/travel-hotel-holiday-tour/margaretha-reichardt-haus-104988.html Visit Thuringia. Margaretha Reichard Haus] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160925021734/https://www.visit-thuringia.com/travel-hotel-holiday-tour/margaretha-reichardt-haus-104988.html |date=25 September 2016 }}. Retrieved 15 January 2018</ref>
* The ''{{lang|de|Peterskirche}}'' (Saint Peter's church) houses an exhibition of [[concrete art]], i.e. totally abstract art (not art made out of concrete).<ref>{{Cite web |title=St Peter's Church, Erfurt |url=https://www.outdooractive.com/en/poi/erfurt/st-peter-s-church-erfurt/16573371/ |access-date=2025-02-23 |website=www.outdooractive.com |language=en}}</ref>
* The ''{{lang|de|Deutsches Gartenbaumuseum}}'' (German Horticulture Museum) is housed at the [[Cyriaksburg Citadel]].<ref>[https://www.erfurt-tourismus.de/en/all-about-erfurt/culture-and-going-out/museums/german-horticultural-museum/ Erfurt Tourismus. German Horticulture Museum] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161004164156/http://www.erfurt-tourismus.de/en/all-about-erfurt/culture-and-going-out/museums/german-horticultural-museum/ |date=4 October 2016 }}. Retrieved 15 January 2018</ref>
* The {{lang|de|[[Naturkundemuseum Erfurt|Naturkundemuseum]]}} (Natural History Museum) is situated in a medieval woad warehouse and explores Thuringian flora and fauna, geology and ecology.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 September 2024 |title=Naturkundemuseum Erfurt |trans-title='German' Natural History Museum of Erfurt |url=https://www.naturkundemuseum-erfurt.de/ueber-uns/geschichte/ |access-date=1 September 2024 |website=Naturkundemuseum Erfurt}}</ref>
* The ''{{lang|de|Museum für Thüringer Volkskunde}}'' (Museum of Folk Art and Cultural Anthropology) looks at the ordinary life of people in Thuringia in the past and shows exhibits of peasant and artisan traditions.<ref>“Museum of Thuringian Folklore.” Erfurt Tourismus, www.erfurt-tourismus.de/en/all-about-erfurt/culture/museums/museum-of-thuringian-folklore/. Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.</ref>
* The ''{{lang|de|Elektromuseum}}'' (Museum of Electrical Engineering) shows the history of electric engines, which have featured prominently in Erfurt's economy.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
* {{Interlanguage link multi|Schloss Molsdorf|de}} in the district of Molsdorf is a [[Baroque architecture|Baroque]] palace with an exhibition about the painter {{Interlanguage link multi|Otto Knöpfer|de}}.

===Image gallery===
<gallery widths="200px" heights="180px">
File:Erfurt Stadtmuseum Haus zum Stockfisch.jpg|{{lang|de|Stadtmuseum}}
File:Angermuseum Erfurt2.JPG|{{lang|de|Angermuseum}}
File:Naturkundemuseum Erfurt Eingangtor.jpg|{{lang|de|Naturkundemuseum}}
File:Defensionskaserne 3.jpg|{{lang|de|Deutsches Gartenbaumuseum}}
File:Erfurt, Museum für Thüringer Volkskunde.jpg|{{lang|de|Museum für Thüringer Volkskunde}}
File:Erinnerungsort Topf und Söhne Erfurt.JPG|[[J.A. Topf & Söhne]] museum and holocaust memorial site
File:Stasi Memorial Andreasstraße Erfurt.JPG|[[Memorial and Education Centre Andreasstrasse]], former Stasi prison
File:Schloss Molsdorf 01.jpg|{{lang|de|Schloss Molsdorf}}
</gallery>

=== Theatre ===
Since 2003, the modern opera house is home to [[Theater Erfurt]] and its Philharmonic Orchestra. The "grand stage" section has 800 seats and the "studio stage" can hold 200 spectators. In September 2005, the opera ''[[Waiting for the Barbarians (opera)|Waiting for the Barbarians]]'' by [[Philip Glass]] premiered in the opera house. The Erfurt Theatre has been a source of controversy. In 2005, a performance of [[Engelbert Humperdinck (composer)|Engelbert Humperdinck]]'s opera ''{{lang|de|[[Hänsel und Gretel (opera)|Hänsel und Gretel]]}}'' stirred up the local press since the performance contained suggestions of pedophilia and incest. The opera was advertised in the programme with the addition "for adults only".{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

On 12 April 2008, a version of [[Giuseppe Verdi|Verdi]]'s opera ''{{lang|it|[[Un ballo in maschera]]}}'' directed by Johann Kresnik opened at the Erfurt Theatre. The production stirred deep controversy by featuring nude performers in [[Mickey Mouse]] masks dancing on the ruins of the [[World Trade Center (1973–2001)|World Trade Center]] and a female singer with a painted on [[Adolf Hitler|Hitler]] toothbrush moustache performing a straight arm [[Nazism|Nazi]] salute, along with sinister portrayals of American soldiers, [[Uncle Sam]], and [[Elvis Presley]] impersonators. The director described the production as a populist critique of modern American society, aimed at showing up the disparities between rich and poor. The controversy prompted one local politician to call for locals to boycott the performances, but this was largely ignored and the première was sold out.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/04/11/wopera111.xml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080413002501/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/04/11/wopera111.xml |url-status=dead |archive-date=13 April 2008 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |location=London |title=German staging of Verdi's ''A Masked Ball'' on 9/11 with naked cast in Mickey Mouse masks |date=11 April 2008 |access-date=2 May 2010}}</ref>

=== Sport ===
[[File:Luftbild Gunda Niemann Stirnemann Halle.jpg|thumb|''{{lang|de|Gunda-Niemann-Stirnemann Halle}}''.]]

Notable types of sport in Erfurt are athletics, ice skating, cycling (with the oldest velodrome in use in the world, opened in 1885), swimming, handball, volleyball, tennis and football. The city's football club {{lang|de|[[FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt]]}} is a member of the {{lang|de|[[Regionalliga Nordost]]}} and is based in the {{lang|de|[[Steigerwaldstadion]]}}. The ''{{lang|de|Gunda-Niemann-Stirnemann Halle}}'' was the second [[Speed skating rink#Indoor speed skating tracks|indoor speed skating arena]] in Germany.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

=== Cityscape ===
[[File:Brühlervorstadt.JPG|thumb|Architecture from the ''{{lang|de|[[Gründerzeit]]}}'' in Brühlervorstadt district.]]
Erfurt's cityscape features a medieval core of narrow, curved alleys in the centre surrounded by a belt of ''{{lang|de|[[Gründerzeit]]}}'' architecture, created between 1873 and 1914. In 1873, the city's fortifications were demolished and it became possible to build houses in the area in front of the former city walls. In the following years, Erfurt saw a construction boom. In the northern area (districts Andreasvorstadt, Johannesvorstadt and Ilversgehofen) [[tenement]]s for the factory workers were built whilst the eastern area (Krämpfervorstadt and Daberstedt) featured apartments for white-collar workers and clerks and the southwestern part (Löbervorstadt and Brühlervorstadt) with its beautiful valley landscape saw the construction of villas and mansions of rich factory owners and notables.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

During the interwar period, some settlements in [[Bauhaus]] style were realized, often as housing cooperatives.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-03-19 |title=Bauhaus100 – Baudenkmale der Moderne |trans-title=Bauhaus100 – Architectural Monuments of Modernism |url=https://www.erfurt.de/ef/de/erleben/besuch/bauhaus100/baudenkmale/index.html |access-date=2024-10-12 |website=Erfurt.de |language=de |archive-date=10 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241110084041/https://www.erfurt.de/ef/de/erleben/besuch/bauhaus100/baudenkmale/index.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

After World War II and over the whole GDR period, housing shortages remained a problem even though the government started a big apartment construction programme. Between 1970 and 1990 large {{lang|de|[[Plattenbau]]}} settlements with high-rise blocks on the northern (for 50,000 inhabitants) and southeastern (for 40,000 inhabitants) periphery were constructed. After reunification the renovation of old houses in city centre and the ''{{lang|de|Gründerzeit}}'' areas was a big issue. The federal government granted substantial subsidies, so that many houses could be restored.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

Compared to many other German cities, little of Erfurt was destroyed in World War II. This is one reason why the centre today offers a mixture of medieval, Baroque and [[Neoclassical architecture]] as well as buildings from the last 150 years.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Magazine |first1=Smithsonian |last2=Kiniry |first2=Laura |title=Could Erfurt Be Germany's Most Magical Christmas Town? |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/could-erfurt-be-germanys-most-magical-christmas-town-180971095/ |access-date=2024-03-21 |website=Smithsonian Magazine |language=en}}</ref>

Public green spaces are located along Gera river and in several parks like the ''{{lang|de|Stadtpark}}'', the ''{{lang|de|Nordpark}}'' and the ''{{lang|de|Südpark}}''. The largest green area is the {{Interlanguage link multi|Egapark|de}}, a horticultural exhibition park and botanic garden established in 1961.<ref>{{Cite web |title=egapark Erfurt - Erfurt Tourismus |url=https://www.erfurt-tourismus.de/en/all-about-erfurt/places-of-interest/egapark-erfurt |access-date=2024-03-21 |website=www.erfurt-tourismus.de}}</ref>

=== Sights and architectural heritage ===

==== Churches, monasteries and synagogues ====
[[File:Erfurter Dom von Oben 08.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|St Mary's Cathedral (left) and St Severus' Church (right) on Domberg hill.]]
The city centre has about 25 churches and monasteries, most of them in [[Gothic architecture|Gothic]] style, some also in [[Romanesque architecture|Romanesque]] style or a mixture of Romanesque and Gothic elements, and a few in later styles. The various steeples characterize the medieval centre and led to one of Erfurt's nicknames as the "Thuringian Rome".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.europeantraveler.net/te-erfurt.php |title=''europeantraveler.net'' |access-date=22 May 2017 |archive-date=8 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408174807/http://www.europeantraveler.net/te-erfurt.php |url-status=dead}}</ref>

=====Catholic churches and monasteries=====
* The {{lang|de|Allerheiligenkirche}} ([[All Saints' Church, Erfurt|All Saints' Church]]) is a 14th-century Gothic church in {{lang|de|Marktstraße}} (Market Street), which hosts a [[columbarium]].<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Kirchen in Erfurt: Allerheiligenkirche, Kolumbarium |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.30965/9783506786388_0732 |access-date=2024-10-12 |website=Erfurt.de |doi=10.30965/9783506786388_0732 |language=de|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
* The {{lang|de|Dom St. Marien}} ([[Erfurt Cathedral|St Mary's Cathedral]]) perches above {{lang|de|Domplatz}}, the Cathedral Square. It is the [[episcopal see]] and one of the main sights of Erfurt. It combines Romanesque and Gothic elements and has the largest free-swinging medieval bell in the world,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.outdooractive.com/en/church/erfurt/st-mary-s-cathedral-and-st-severi-s-church-erfurt/16537650/ |title=St Mary's Cathedral and St Severi's Church, Erfurt |website=outdooractive.com |access-date=2022-05-28 |archive-date=28 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240128011832/https://www.outdooractive.com/en/poi/erfurt/st-mary-s-cathedral-and-st-severi-s-church-erfurt/16537650/ |url-status=live }}</ref> which is named [[Maria Gloriosa|Gloriosa]]. One of the works of art inside the cathedral is [[Lucas Cranach the Elder]]'s 'The Mystic Marriage of St.&nbsp;Catherine' painted around 1520.<ref>[http://www.erfurt-tourismus.de/en/all-about-erfurt/famous-individuals/lucas-cranach/ Erfurt Tourismus. Famous Individuals. Lucas Cranach]. {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160413011339/http://www.erfurt-tourismus.de/en/all-about-erfurt/famous-individuals/lucas-cranach/ |date=13 April 2016}}. Retrieved 18 January 2018.</ref>
* The {{lang|de|Lorenzkirche}} ([[St Lawrence's Church, Erfurt|St Lawrence's Church]]) is a small 14th-century Gothic parish church at {{lang|de|Anger}} Square.
* The {{lang|de|Martinikirche}} ([[St Martin's Church, Erfurt|St Martin's Church]]) was built in the 15th&nbsp;century in Gothic style and in 1755–58 converted to Baroque style. It was both a [[Cistercians|Cistercian]] nunnery and a parish church of {{lang|de|Brühl}}, a medieval suburban zone.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Geschichte St. Martini |url=https://www.st-laurentius-erfurt.de/orte-kirchen/st-martini/geschichte-st-martini/ |access-date=2024-10-12 |website=St. Laurentius Erfurt |language=de}}</ref>
* The {{lang|de|[[Neuwerkskirche]] St. Crucis}} ("church of the new facility", Holy Cross Church) is a 15th-century Gothic church at {{lang|de|Neuwerkstraße}}, that was later converted to Baroque style. Until the 13th century, it was used by a [[convent]] of [[Augustinians|Augustinian]] nuns.<ref>{{Cite web |title=St. Crucis, Neuwerkkirche, einzigartige Barockkirche |trans-title=St. Crucis, Neuwerkkirche, unique baroque church |url=https://www.st-laurentius-erfurt.de/orte-kirchen/st-crucis/geschichte-st-crucis/ |access-date=2024-10-12 |website=St Laurentius Erfurt |language=de}}</ref>
* The {{lang|de|[[Schottenkirche, Erfurt|Schottenkirche]] St. Nikolai und St. Jakobi}} (Scots Monks' Church of St&nbsp;Nicholas and St&nbsp;James) is an 11th-century Romanesque monastery church with a Baroque façade, which was later used as a parish church.<ref>{{Cite web |title=St-Laurentius-Erfurt.de - Geschichte St. Nicolai und St. Jacobi (Schottenkirche) |url=https://www.st-laurentius-erfurt.de/orte-kirchen/st-nicolai-und-st-jacobi-schottenkirche/geschichte-st-nicolai-und-st-jacobi-schottenkirche/ |access-date=2025-05-24 |website=www.st-laurentius-erfurt.de}}</ref>
* The {{lang|de|Severikirche}} ([[St Severus' Church, Erfurt|St Severus' Church]]) is the second-largest parish church after the cathedral and stands next to it on the {{lang|de|Domberg}} hill. It is in Gothic style and was built around 1300.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Erfurt {{!}} Medieval City, Thuringia Capital {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Erfurt-Germany |access-date=2024-05-11 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref>
* The {{lang|de|Ursulinenkirche}}, St Ursula's Church, is a Gothic church at {{lang|de|Anger}} Square. It is attached to the {{lang|de|Ursulinenkloster}}, St&nbsp;Ursula's Nunnery, founded in 1136.<ref>[http://www.bildungshaus-st-ursula.de/kloster.html Kloster St. Ursula. Geschichte] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180116081134/http://www.bildungshaus-st-ursula.de/kloster.html |date=16 January 2018 }}. Retrieved 15&nbsp;January 2018.</ref>
* The {{lang|de|Wigbertikirche}} ([[St Wigbert's Church, Erfurt|St Wigbert's Church]]) is a 15th-century Gothic church near {{lang|de|Anger}} Square.<ref>{{Cite web |title=St. Wigbert, ehemalige Kloster-,Hof- und Pfarrkirche, heute Kirchort |trans-title=St. Wigbert, former monastery, court and parish church, today a parish |url=https://www.st-laurentius-erfurt.de/orte-kirchen/st-wigbert/geschichte-st-wigbert/ |access-date=2024-10-12 |website=St Laurentius Erfurt |language=de}}</ref>

<gallery widths="200px" heights="180px">
Allerheiligenkirche Erfurt.jpg|All Saints' Church
Erfurt Lorenzkirche vom Anger.jpg|St Lawrence's Church
Martinikirche.jpg|St Martin's Church
Erfurt - Neuwerkskirche.jpg|Holy Cross Church
Schottenkirche Erfurt.jpg|Schottenkirche
Erfurt, Severikirche vom Petersberg gesehen-002.jpg|St Severus' Church
Landtagprojekt Thueringen Erfurt 2011 (RaBoe) 110.jpg|Ursulines Church
Wigbertikirche Erfurt2.JPG|St Wigbert's Church
</gallery>

=====Protestant churches and monasteries=====
* {{lang|de|Ägidienkirche}} ([[St Giles' Church, Erfurt|St Giles' Church]]) is a 14th-century Gothic parish church at {{lang|de|Wenigemarkt}} Square. It is the surviving one of formerly two bridge-head churches of the {{lang|de|[[Krämerbrücke]]}} located on both ends of the bridge. As a result, the nave is on the first floor, while on ground level is a passage to the bridge. The steeple is open to the public and offers a good view over the city centre. Today, St&nbsp;Giles' Church is a [[Methodism|Methodist]] parish church.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
* {{lang|de|Andreaskirche}} ([[St Andrew's Church, Erfurt|St Andrew's Church]]) is a 14th-century Gothic parish church at {{lang|de|Andreasstraße}} (Andrew's Street). The old craftsmen's quarter around it is named {{lang|de|Andreasviertel}} after the church.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
* {{lang|de|Augustinerkloster}} ([[St. Augustine's Monastery (Erfurt)|St Augustine's Monastery]]) dates from 1277. [[Martin Luther]] lived there as a monk between 1505 and 1511. The site has had a varied history and the restored complex has both modern and medieval buildings. Today it belongs to the [[Protestant Church in Germany]] and as well as being a place of worship it is also a meeting and conference centre, and provides simple guest accommodation. In 2016, an application was made for it to be included in the already existing UNESCO [[World Heritage Site]] "Luther sites in Central Germany".<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.welterbe-luther.de/en/extension-application/augustinian-monastery-erfurt |title=UNESCO World Heritage. Augustinian Monastery, Erfurt extension application |website=welterbe-luther.de |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170804013636/http://www.welterbe-luther.de/en/extension-application/augustinian-monastery-erfurt |archive-date=2017-08-04 |access-date=2017-05-29}}</ref>
* The {{lang|de|[[Kaufmannskirche]] St. Gregor}} (Merchant's Church of St Gregory) is a 14th-century Gothic parish church at {{lang|de|Anger}} square. It is one of the largest and most important original parish churches in Erfurt. The parents of [[Johann Sebastian Bach]], [[Johann Ambrosius Bach]] and [[Maria Elisabeth Lämmerhirt]], married here in 1668.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
* {{lang|de|Michaeliskirche}} ([[St Michael's Church, Erfurt|St Michael's Church]]) is a 13th-century Gothic parish church at {{lang|de|Michaelisstraße}}. It became the church of the university in 1392. Erfurt's first [[Protestantism|Protestant]] sermon was preached here in 1521.<ref name="Luthers Stationen">{{Cite web |url=https://www.erfurt-tourismus.de/sehens-wissenswertes/top-themen/luthers-stationen |language=de |title=Martin Luther's Stationen in Erfurt |website=erfurt-tourismus.de |access-date=2022-05-28 |archive-date=25 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220625100542/https://www.erfurt-tourismus.de/sehens-wissenswertes/top-themen/luthers-stationen |url-status=live }}</ref> The church tower contains Erfurt's oldest bell "Katharina",<ref name="Luthers Stationen" /> dating from 1380.
* The {{lang|de|[[Predigerkirche (Erfurt)|Predigerkirche]]}} (Dominican Church) is a Gothic monastery church of the [[Dominican Order|Dominicans]] at {{lang|de|Predigerstraße}}. Since the [[Reformation]] in the 16th&nbsp;century, it is the main Protestant church of Erfurt and furthermore one of the largest former churches of the mendicant orders in Germany. The theologian and mystic [[Meister Eckhart]] (c.&nbsp;1260–1328) entered Prediger Monastery around 1275. He was Prior from 1294 until 1298, and Vicar of Thuringia from 1298 to 1302. After a year in Paris, he returned to the monastery in 1303 and administered his duties as Provincial of Saxony from there until 1311.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.meister-eckhart-erfurt.de/meister-eckhart-in-erfurt/bedeutung.html |title=Bedeutung |language=de |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225213659/http://www.meister-eckhart-erfurt.de/meister-eckhart-in-erfurt/bedeutung.html |archive-date=2014-02-25 |website=Meister Eckhart in Erfurt |publisher=Evangelische Predigergemeinde Erfurt}}</ref> The baroque composer [[Johann Pachelbel]] (1653–1706) was organist at the church from 1678 until 1690.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
* The {{lang|de|[[Reglerkirche|Reglerkirche St. Augustinus]]}} (Regulated St Augustine's Church) is a 12th-century Romanesque-Gothic monastery church of the Augustinians at {{lang|de|Bahnhofstraße}} (Station Street). After the Reformation, it became a Protestant parish church.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

<gallery>
File:Erfurt kosciol sw Idziego 2.jpg|St Giles' Church
File:Erfurt, Andreaskirche-002.jpg|St Andrew's Church
File:Augustinerkirche Erfurt.jpg|St Augustine's Church
File:Erfurt, Kaufmannskirche 001.JPG|Merchants' Church
File:J24 082e Michaeliskirche.jpg|St Michael's Church
File:Erfurt Predigerkirche (2).JPG|Dominican Church
File:Reglerkirche Erfurt.jpg|Regulated St Augustine's Church
</gallery>

=====Former churches=====
* The {{lang|de|[[Barfüßerkirche, Erfurt|Barfüßerkirche]]}} is a 14th-century Gothic [[Mendicant orders|mendicant]] church at {{lang|de|Barfüßerstraße}}. The former [[Franciscans|Franciscan]] monastery became a Protestant parish church after the Reformation. In 1944, the church was severely damaged by allied bombing. Its high choir was restored, but the nave's ruins have been preserved as a war memorial.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
* The {{lang|de|Bartholomäuskirche}} ([[St Bartholomew's Church, Erfurt|St Bartholomew's Church]]) was a Gothic parish church at {{lang|de|Anger}} Square. The church was demolished in 1715 and only the steeple remained. Today, the tower hosts a [[carillon]] with 60&nbsp;bells.<ref>{{Cite web |title=carillon – Das Erfurter Carillon |url=https://bartholomaeusturm.de/?page_id=121 |access-date=2025-06-22 |language=de}}</ref>
* The ''{{lang|de|Georgskirche}}'' (St George's Church) was a parish church in ''Michaelisstraße''. It was demolished in 1632 and only the church tower now remains.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
* The ''{{lang|de|Hospitalkirche}}'' (Hospital Church) was the church of the former Great City Hospital at ''{{lang|de|Juri-Gagarin-Ring}}''. It is a 14th-century Gothic building and is used today as a depot by the Museum für Thüringer Volkskunde (Museum of Thuringian Ethnology).<ref>[http://geo.viaregia.org/testbed/index.pl?rm=obj&objid=2237 geo.viaregia.org. Hospitalkirche] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180116004456/http://geo.viaregia.org/testbed/index.pl?rm=obj&objid=2237 |date=16 January 2018 }}. Retrieved 15 January 2018</ref>
* The ''{{lang|de|Johanneskirche}}'' (St John's Church) was a parish church at John's Street. It was demolished in 1819, but the steeple remained.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
* The ''{{lang|de|Kartäuserkirche St. Salvatorberg}}'' (Carthusian Church, Mount St&nbsp;Saviour) was a monastery church at ''{{lang|de|Kartäuserstraße}}''. The Baroque church was closed in 1803 and afterwards used for many different purposes. Today, it is part of a housing complex.<ref>{{Cite web |publisher=Presseabteilung der Stadt Erfurt |title=Kirchen in Erfurt: Ehemalige Kartäuserkirche und -kloster |url=https://www.erfurt.de/ef/de/erleben/sehenswertes/dom/108139.html |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=Erfurt.de |date=23 December 2013 |language=de |archive-date=17 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240417111015/https://www.erfurt.de/ef/de/erleben/sehenswertes/dom/108139.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* The ''{{lang|de|Nikolaikirche}}'' (St Nicholas' Church) was a parish church in Augustine's Street. It was demolished in 1747 and only the steeple remained.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
* The ''{{lang|de|Paulskirche}}'' (St Paul's Church) was a parish church in Paul's Street. It was demolished before 1759. The steeple remains and is in use as the belfry of the Prediger Church.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
* The ''{{lang|de|Peterskirche}}'' (St Peter's Church) was built in the 12th century in Romanesque style as a church of the [[Benedictine]] monastery of St Peter and Paul on Petersberg hill, now the site of [[Petersberg Citadel]]. It was secularised in 1803 and used as a military store house. Today it houses an art gallery.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

<gallery mode="packed" widths="200px" heights="180px">
File:Barfüßerkirche Erfurt 2011-03-19.jpg|Ruins of the former Franciscan monastery's church
File:Bartholomäusturm Erfurt.jpg|St Bartholomew's steeple
File:Hospitalkirche "Zum Heiligen Geist" Erfurt 8.jpg|Hospital Church
File:Westportal-Kartaeuserkirche-Erfurt-2015-05.jpg|Carthusian Church
File:Nicolaiturm.jpg|St Nicholas' steeple
File:Paulsturm.jpg|St Paul's steeple
File:Peterskirche Erfurt 1.jpg|St Peter's Church
</gallery>

=====Synagogues=====
{{see also|Jewish Community of Erfurt}}
The oldest parts of Erfurt's ''Alte Synagoge'' ([[Old Synagogue (Erfurt)|Old Synagogue]]) date to the 11th century. It was used until 1349 when the Jewish community was destroyed in a pogrom known as the [[Erfurt massacre (1349)|Erfurt Massacre]]. The building had many other uses since then. It was conserved in the 1990s and in 2009 it became a museum of Jewish history.<ref name="altsyn" /> A rare [[Mikveh]], a ritual bath, dating from c.1250, was discovered by archeologists in 2007.<ref name=mikveh /> It has been accessible to visitors on guided tours since September 2011.<ref>[http://juedisches-leben.erfurt.de/jl/en/middle-ages/mikveh/index.html Jewish life in Erfurt. Mikveh.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025182823/http://juedisches-leben.erfurt.de/jl/en/middle-ages/mikveh/index.html |date=25 October 2016 }} Retrieved 4 June 2017</ref> The Jewish heritage of Erfurt including the Old Synagogue and Mikveh became a [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]] in September 2023 and is the second Jewish heritage in Germany that is listed on UNESCO.<ref>{{cite news |title=Unesco nimmt Erfurter Bauten in Liste des Weltkulturerbes auf |url=https://www.zeit.de/kultur/2023-09/unesco-nimmt-erfurter-bauten-in-liste-des-weltkulturerbes-auf |language=de |newspaper=Die Zeit |date=17 September 2023 |access-date=2023-09-18 |last1=Reddig |first1=Sophia |last2=Fenker |first2=Iven |archive-date=24 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231024014556/https://www.zeit.de/kultur/2023-09/unesco-nimmt-erfurter-bauten-in-liste-des-weltkulturerbes-auf?utm_referrer=https:// |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Jewish-Medieval Heritage of Erfurt |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1656/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230918055534/https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1656 |archive-date=2023-09-18 |access-date=2023-09-18 |website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |language=en}}</ref>

As religious freedom was granted in the 19th century, some Jews returned to Erfurt. They built their synagogue on the banks of the Gera river and used it from 1840 until 1884. The neoclassical building is known as the ''Kleine Synagoge'' (Small Synagogue). Today it is used an events centre. It is also open to visitors.<ref name=kleinsyn>[http://juedisches-leben.erfurt.de/jl/en/19-century/small_synagogue/index.html Jewish Life in Erfurt. Small synagogue.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161031212354/http://juedisches-leben.erfurt.de/jl/en/19-century/small_synagogue/index.html |date=31 October 2016 }} Retrieved 31 October 2016</ref>

A larger synagogue, the ''Große Synagoge'' (Great Synagogue), was opened in 1884 because the community had become larger and wealthier. This moorish style building was destroyed during nationwide Nazi riots, known as {{lang|de|[[Kristallnacht]]}} on 9–10 November 1938.<ref>Available at: [http://juedisches-leben.erfurt.de/jl/en/19-century/great_synagogue/index.html Jewish Life in Erfurt. Great synagogue.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161031212706/http://juedisches-leben.erfurt.de/jl/en/19-century/great_synagogue/index.html |date=31 October 2016 }} Retrieved 31 October 2016</ref>

In 1947 the land which the Great Synagogue had occupied was returned to the Jewish community and they built their current place of worship, the ''Neue Synagoge'' (New Synagogue) which opened in 1952. It was the only synagogue building erected under communist rule in East Germany.<ref>[http://juedisches-leben.erfurt.de/jl/en/present/new_synagogue/index.html Jewish Life in Erfurt. New synagogue] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161031212356/http://juedisches-leben.erfurt.de/jl/en/present/new_synagogue/index.html |date=31 October 2016 }}. Retrieved 31 October 2016</ref>

<gallery widths="200px" heights="180px">
File:Alte Synagoge Erfurt.JPG|Old Synagogue
File:Kleine Synagoge Erfurt2.JPG|Small Synagogue
File:Synagoge Erfurt.JPG|New Synagogue
</gallery>

==== Secular architecture ====
Besides the religious buildings there is a lot of historic secular architecture in Erfurt, mostly concentrated in the city centre, but some 19th- and 20th-century buildings are located on the outskirts.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
[[File:Michaelisstraße Erfurt.JPG|thumb|The {{lang|de|Michaelisstraße}} is known as the lithic chronicle of Erfurt.]]

=====Street and square ensembles=====
* The ''{{lang|de|[[Krämerbrücke]]}}'' (Merchants' bridge) is the most famous tourist attraction of Erfurt. This 15th-century bridge is completely covered with dwellings and unique in Europe north of the Alps. Today, there are some art handicraft and souvenir shops in the houses.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Merchants' Bridge - Erfurt Tourismus |url=https://www.erfurt-tourismus.de/en/all-about-erfurt/places-of-interest/merchants-bridge |access-date=2024-05-01 |website=www.erfurt-tourismus.de}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Merchant's Bridge |url=https://www.radissonhotels.com/en-us/destination/germany/erfurt/merchant-s-bridge |access-date=May 1, 2024 |website=www.radissonhotels.com}}</ref>
* The ''{{lang|de|Domplatz}}'' (Cathedral Square) is the largest square in Erfurt and one of the largest historical market squares in Germany. The cathedral and St Severus' Church on its western side can be reached over the ''{{lang|de|Domstufen}}'', a wide flight of stairs. On the north side lies the courthouse, a historic building from 1880. The eastern and southern side is fronted by early-modern patrician houses. On the square are the Minerva Fountain from 1784 and the Erthal Obelisk from 1777. The Domplatz is the main setting of the Erfurt Christmas Market in December and the location for "DomStufen-Festival", an open-air theatre festival in summer.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
* The ''{{lang|de|Fischmarkt}}'' (Fish Market) is the central square of Erfurt's city centre. It is surrounded by renaissance-style patrician houses and the town hall, a neo-gothic building from 1882. In the middle of the square is a statue called ''{{lang|de|Römer}}'' (Roman), a symbol of the city's independence, erected by the citizens in 1591.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
* The ''{{lang|de|Wenigemarkt}}'' (Minor Market) is a small square on the east side of the Gera river (opposite to the Fischmarkt on the west side), surrounded by early-modern patrician and merchants' houses. The fountain on this square with the sculpture "Scuffling Boys" was created in 1975. Today, {{lang|de|Wenigemarkt}} square also has various cafés and bars. Next to the {{lang|de|Wenigemarkt}} in {{lang|de|Futterstraße}} is the {{lang|de|Kaisersaal}} building, a neoclassicistic event hall from 1831 (current building). The [[Congress of Erfurt]] took place here in 1808.
* The ''{{lang|de|Anger}}'' (originally the German term for "[[village green]]") is a protracted square{{clarify|date=October 2014}} in the eastern city centre. All tram lines are linked here, so that it became the new city centre during the 20th century with many important buildings. On its northern side is the main post office, built in 1886 in neo-gothic style with its prominent clock tower. In the north-east there is the Martin Luther monument from 1889 in front of the Merchants' Church. Between the church and the Ursuline monastery lies the "Anger 1" department store from 1908. On the south side next to Station Street is the {{lang|de|Angermuseum}}, the art history museum of Erfurt, inside a Baroque palace from 1711. The western part of Anger square is surrounded by large historicist business houses from the late 19th century. The west end of the square is marked by the Angerbrunnen fountain from 1890. The Jesuit College near {{lang|de|Schlösserstraße}} was built in 1737 and used until the ban of the Jesuits in 1773.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
* The ''[[Willy Brandt]] Square'' is the southern gate to the city centre in front of the main station. Opposite to the station is the former hotel ''{{lang|de|Erfurter Hof}}'', where the first meeting of the East- and West-German heads of government took place in 1970. On the western side is the building of the old Erfurt station (1847–95) with a clock tower and the former offices of the Thuringian Railway Company.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
* The ''{{lang|de|Hirschgarten}}'' (Deer Garden) is a small park in front of the Thuringian government seat in the western city centre. The minister-president's seat is the ''{{lang|de|Kurmainzische Statthalterei}}'', a Renaissance-Baroque palace from the 17th century.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
* The ''{{lang|de|Michaelisstraße}}'' (Michael's Street) is known as "the lithic chronicle of Erfurt", because of its mostly medieval buildings. It is the main street of the Latin quarter around the old university and today one of the favourite nightlife districts of the Erfurters with various bars, restaurants and cafés. The central building of the old university, {{lang|la|Collegium Maius}}, was built in 1515, destroyed by Allied bombs in 1945 and originally rebuilt in 1999.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
* The ''{{lang|de|Juri-Gagarin-Ring}}'' is an inner-city circular road following the former inner city wall. The road was set out in the 1890s by closing a branch of the Gera river. The buildings along the street originate from all periods of the 20th century, including some GDR-era highrise residence buildings. An old building complex here is the former Great Hospital, established in the 14th century. Today, it hosts the museum of popular art and cultural anthropology.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
* The ''{{lang|de|Andreasviertel}}'' (St Andrew's Quarter) is a small quarter in the northern part of the city centre between {{lang|de|Domplatz}} in the south-west and {{lang|de|Moritzwallstraße}} in the north-east. It was the former craftsmen quarter with narrow alleys and old (16th/17th century) little houses. During the 20th century, there were plans to demolish the quarter because of its bad housing conditions. After 1990, the houses were redeveloped by private individuals so that it is one of the favourite neighbourhoods today. The largest building here is the former Municipal Corn Storage in Gothic style from 1466 with a floor area of {{cvt|1800|m2|0}}.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

<gallery widths="200px" heights="180px">
File:Krämerbrücke Erfurt II, Germany2.jpg|{{lang|de|[[Krämerbrücke]]}}
File:P1010412-Montage.jpg|Christmas market at {{lang|de|Domplatz}}
File:Haus zum Roten Ochsen Fischmarkt.jpg|{{lang|de|Fischmarkt}}
File:Wenigemarkt Erfurt.JPG|{{lang|de|Wenigemarkt}}
File:Hauptpost Erfurt2.JPG|Post office at {{lang|de|Anger}}
File:Angermuseum Erfurt2.JPG|{{lang|de|Angermuseum}}
File:2011-05-19-erfurt-by-RalfR-44.jpg|{{lang|de|Hirschgarten}}
</gallery>

=====Fortifications=====
[[File:Zitadelle_Erfurt.jpg|thumb|[[Petersberg Citadel]].]]
From 1066 until 1873 the old town of Erfurt was encircled by a fortified wall. About 1168 this was extended to run around the western side of Petersberg hill, enclosing it within the city boundaries.<ref name=walls>Stadtverwaltung Erfurt (4 September 2012). [http://www.erfurt-web.de/Stadtbefestigung ''Stadtbefestigung einst und jetzt''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026171154/http://www.erfurt-web.de/Stadtbefestigung |date=26 October 2021 }}. Retrieved 28 December 2017</ref>

After [[German Unification]] in 1871, Erfurt became part of the newly created [[German Empire]]. The threat to the city from its Saxon neighbours and from Bavaria was no longer present, so it was decided to dismantle the city walls. Only a few remnants remain today. A piece of inner wall can be found in a small park at the corner Juri-Gagarin-Ring and Johannesstraße and another piece at the flood ditch (''Flutgraben'') near Franckestraße. There is also a small restored part of the wall in the Brühler Garten, behind the Catholic orphanage. Only one of the wall's fortified towers was left standing, on Boyneburgufer, but this was destroyed in an air raid in 1944.<ref name=walls />

The [[Petersberg Citadel]] is one of the largest and best preserved city fortresses in Europe, covering an area of 36 hectares in the north-west of the city centre. It was built from 1665 on Petersberg hill and was in military use until 1963. Since 1990, it has been significantly restored and is now open to the public as an historic site.<ref name="350jahre">Verein der Freunde der Citadelle Petersberg zu Erfurt e.V. (2015). ''350 Jahre Zitadelle Petersberg. Tagungsband: Wissenschaftliches Kolloquim zum 350. Jahrestages der Grundsteinlegung der Zitadelle Petersberg vom 29. Mai bis 31 Mai 2015. Universität Erfurt''.</ref>

The {{Interlanguage link multi|Cyriaksburg Citadel|de|3=Zitadelle Cyriaksburg}} is a smaller citadel south-west of the city centre, dating from 1480. Today, it houses the German horticulture museum.<ref>[https://www.gartenbaumuseum.de/die-cyriaksburg.html ''Die Cyriaksburg: Sitz des Deutschen Gartenbaumuseums Erfurt''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171229232259/https://www.gartenbaumuseum.de/die-cyriaksburg.html |date=29 December 2017 }}. Retrieved 23 December 2017</ref>

=====19th- and 20th-century architecture in the outskirts=====
Between 1873 and 1914, a belt of ''{{lang|de|[[Gründerzeit]]}}'' architecture emerged around the city centre. The mansion district in the south-west around {{lang|de|Cyriakstraße}}, {{lang|de|Richard-Breslau-Straße}} and {{lang|de|Hochheimer Straße}} hosts some interesting ''{{lang|de|Gründerzeit}}'' and ''Art Nouveau'' buildings.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

The "Mühlenviertel" ("mill quarter"), is an area of beautiful Art Nouveau apartment buildings, cobblestone streets and street trees just to the north of the old city, in the vicinity of Nord Park, bordered by the Gera river on its east side. The [[Schmale Gera]] stream runs through the area. In the Middle Ages numerous small enterprises using the power of water mills occupied the area, hence the name "Mühlenviertel", with street names such as Waidmühlenweg (woad, or indigo, mill way), Storchmühlenweg (stork mill way) and Papiermühlenweg (paper mill way).{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

The ''[[Bauhaus]]'' style is represented by some housing cooperative projects in the east around {{lang|de|Flensburger Straße}} and {{lang|de|Dortmunder Straße}} and in the north around {{lang|de|Neuendorfstraße}}. Lutherkirke Church in {{lang|de|Magdeburger Allee}} (1927), is an [[Art Deco]] building.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

The former malt factory "Wolff" at {{lang|de|Theo-Neubauer-Straße}} in the east of Erfurt is a large industrial complex built between 1880 and 1939, and in use until 2000. A new use has not been found yet, but the area is sometimes used as a location in movie productions because of its atmosphere.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

Examples of Nazi architecture include the buildings of the {{lang|de|Landtag}} (Thuringian parliament) and {{lang|de|Thüringenhalle}} (an event hall) in the south at {{lang|de|Arnstädter Straße}}. While the {{lang|de|Landtag}} building (1930s) represents more the neo-Roman/fascist style, {{lang|de|Thüringenhalle}} (1940s) is marked by some neo-Germanic ''{{lang|de|Heimatschutz}}'' style elements.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

The Stalinist early-GDR style is manifested in the main building of the university at {{lang|de|Nordhäuser Straße}} (1953) and the later more international modern GDR style is represented by the horticultural exhibition centre "{{lang|de|Egapark}}" at {{lang|de|Gothaer Straße}}, the {{lang|de|Plattenbau}} housing complexes like Rieth or {{lang|de|Johannesplatz}} and the redevelopment of {{lang|de|Löbertor}} and {{lang|de|Krämpfertor}} area along {{lang|de|Juri-Gagarin-Ring}} in the city centre.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

The current international glass and steel architecture is dominant among most larger new buildings like the Federal Labour Court of Germany (1999), the new opera house (2003), the new main station (2007), the university library, the Erfurt Messe (convention centre) and the {{lang|de|[[Gunda Niemann-Stirnemann]]}} ice rink.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}<ref>Source: Official Website of the city of Erfurt - "Architecture in Erfurt" (https://www.erfurt.de/ef/de/service/aktulles/pm/2015/119202.html{{Dead link|date=May 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }})</ref>

<gallery widths="200px" heights="180px">
File:Ernst-Toller-Straße Erfurt.JPG|{{lang|de|Gründerzeit}} tenements in {{lang|de|Johannesvorstadt}} district
File:Brunnen Jacobsenviertel Erfurt.JPG|Cubistic fountain in a Bauhaus housing complex
File:Lutherkirche Erfurt2.JPG|Art Deco Luther's Church
File:ThüringerLandtag.jpg|Entrance of the Thuringian parliament
File:Audimax-Foyer der Universität Erfurt.jpg|Lobby of the university main building
File:Statue Johannesplatz Erfurt.JPG|GDR architecture in {{lang|de|Johannesplatz}} district
File:2011-05-19-bundesarbeitsgericht-by-RalfR-24.jpg|Inner yard of the Federal Labour Court
</gallery>

== Economy and infrastructure ==
During recent years, the economic situation of the city improved: the unemployment rate declined from 21% in 2005 to 9% in 2013. Nevertheless, some 14,000 households with 24,500 persons (12% of population) are dependent upon state social benefits ([[Hartz concept|Hartz IV]]).<ref>{{Citation |last=Schindler |first=Martin |title=Chapter 4: What Does the Crisis Tell Us about the German Labor Market? |work=Germany In An Interconnected World Economy |url=https://www.elibrary.imf.org/display/book/9781616354244/ch004.xml |access-date=2024-04-15 |publisher=International Monetary Fund |language=en |isbn=978-1-61635-424-4}}</ref>

=== Agriculture, industry and services ===
[[File:Optima-Werk Erfurt.JPG|thumb|Former factory building, now reused for services.]]
[[File:Anger 1 Erfurt Kaufhaus Römischer Kaiser 686-vLh.jpg|thumb|''Anger 1'', a big department store in centre.]]

Farming has a great tradition in Erfurt: the cultivation of [[Isatis tinctoria|woad]] made the city rich during the Middle Ages. Today, horticulture and the production of flower seeds is still an important business in Erfurt. There is also growing of fruits (like apples, strawberries and sweet cherries), vegetables (e.g. cauliflowers, potatoes, cabbage and sugar beets) and grain on more than 60% of the municipal territory.<ref name=":0" />

Industrialization in Erfurt started around 1850. Until World War I, many factories were founded in different sectors like engine building, shoes, guns, malt and later electro-technics, so that there was no industrial monoculture in the city. After 1945, the companies were nationalized by the [[East Germany|GDR]] government, which led to the decline of some of them. After reunification, nearly all factories were closed, either because they failed to successfully adopt to a free market economy or because the German government sold them to west German businessmen who closed them to avoid competition to their own enterprises.{{citation needed|date=July 2014}} However, in the early 1990s the federal government started to subsidize the foundation of new companies. It still took a long time before the economic situation stabilized around 2006. Since this time, unemployment has decreased and overall, new jobs were created. Today, there are many small and medium-sized companies in Erfurt with electro-technics, semiconductors and photovoltaics in focus. Engine production, food production, the [[Braugold]] brewery, and [[Born Feinkost]], a producer of Thuringian mustard, remain important industries.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

Erfurt is an ''{{lang|de|Oberzentrum}}'' (which means "supra-centre" according to [[Central place theory]]) in German regional planning. Such centres are always hubs of service businesses and public services like hospitals, universities, research, trade fairs, retail etc. Additionally, Erfurt is the capital of the federal state of Thuringia, so that there are many institutions of administration like all the Thuringian state ministries and some nationwide authorities. Typical for Erfurt are the logistic business with many distribution centres of big companies, the [[Erfurt Trade Fair]] and the media sector with [[KiKa]] and [[Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk|MDR]] as public broadcast stations. A growing industry is tourism, due to the various historical sights of Erfurt. There are 4,800 hotel beds and (in 2012) 450,000 overnight visitors spent a total of 700,000 nights in hotels. Nevertheless, most tourists are one-day visitors from Germany. The Christmas Market in December attracts some 2,000,000 visitors each year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The official Erfurt Christmas Market Portal |url=https://weihnachtsmarkt.erfurt.de/wm/en/index.html |access-date=2024-05-11 |website=Erfurter Weihnachtsmarkt |language=en}}</ref>

=== Transport ===
[[File:Thuringia Erfurt Hbf asv2020-07 img1.jpg|thumb|[[Erfurt Hauptbahnhof]], Erfurt's main railway station.]]

==== By rail ====
The [[Intercity-Express|ICE]] railway network puts Erfurt 1{{frac|1|2}} hours from [[Berlin]], 2{{frac|1|2}} hours from [[Frankfurt]], 2 hours from [[Dresden]], and 45 minutes from [[Leipzig]]. In 2017, the ICE line to [[Munich]] opened, making the trip to [[Erfurt Hauptbahnhof|Erfurt main station]] only 2{{frac|1|2}} hours.

There are regional trains from Erfurt to [[Weimar]], [[Jena]], [[Gotha]], [[Eisenach]], [[Bad Langensalza]], [[Magdeburg]], [[Nordhausen, Thuringia|Nordhausen]], [[Göttingen]], [[Mühlhausen]], [[Würzburg]], [[Meiningen]], [[Ilmenau]], [[Arnstadt]], and [[Gera]].{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

In freight transport there is an [[intermodal freight transport|intermodal]] terminal in the district of Vieselbach ''({{lang|de|Güterverkehrszentrum, GVZ}})'' with connections to rail and the autobahn.<ref>[https://www.erfurt.de/ef/de/wirtschaft/gewerbestandorte/gebiete/108906.html Gewerbegebiet: Güterverkehrszentrum Erfurt (GVZ)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240225223429/https://www.erfurt.de/ef/de/wirtschaft/gewerbestandorte/gebiete/108906.html |date=25 February 2024 }}. Retrieved 25 February 2024</ref>

==== By road ====
The two [[Autobahn]]en crossing each other nearby at ''Erfurter Kreuz'' are the [[Bundesautobahn 4]] ([[Frankfurt]]–[[Dresden]]) and the [[Bundesautobahn 71]] ([[Schweinfurt]]–[[Sangerhausen]]). Together with the east tangent both motorways form a circle road around the city and lead the interregional traffic around the centre. Whereas the A 4 was built in the 1930s, the A 71 came into being after the reunification in the 1990s and 2000s. In addition to both motorways there are two [[Bundesstraße]]n: the [[Bundesstraße 7]] connects Erfurt parallel to A 4 with [[Gotha]] in the west and [[Weimar]] in the east. The [[Bundesstraße 4]] is a connection between Erfurt and [[Nordhausen, Thuringia|Nordhausen]] in the north. Its southern part to [[Coburg]] was annulled when A 71 was finished (in this section, the A 71 now effectively serves as B 4). Within the circle road, B 7 and B 4 are also annulled, so that the city government has to pay for maintenance instead of the German federal government. The access to the city is restricted as ''{{lang|de|[[Low-emission zone|Umweltzone]]}}'' since 2012 for some vehicles. Large parts of the inner city are a pedestrian area which can not be reached by car (except for residents).{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

==== By light rail and bus ====
[[File:Erfurt Straßenbahn Schlösserstr.JPG|thumb|Light rail tram near Anger square.]]
The Erfurt public transport system is marked by the area-wide {{lang|de|[[Erfurt Stadtbahn]]}} ([[light rail]]) network, established as a tram system in 1883, upgraded to a light rail (''{{lang|de|Stadtbahn}}'') system in 1997,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.stadtwerke-erfurt.de/pb/site/swegruppe/node/140107/Lde/index.html |title=Ausbau der Erfurter Straßenbahn zur Stadtbahn |publisher=Essener Verkehrs-Aktiengesellschaft (EVAG) |language=de |trans-title=Expansion of Erfurt tram to light rail |access-date=2013-10-20 |archive-date=30 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161230161952/https://www.stadtwerke-erfurt.de/pb/site/swegruppe/node/140107/Lde/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> and continually expanded and upgraded through the 2000s. Today, there are six ''Stadtbahn'' lines running every ten minutes on every light rail route.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

Additionally, Erfurt operates a bus system, which connects the sparsely populated outer districts of the region to the city center. Both systems are organized by ''SWE EVAG'', a transit company owned by the city administration. The public service, managed by SWE/EVAG, is guaranteed by buses and trams in service from morning until late evening, with a night service starting from midnight until 4AM.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Getting around Erfurt |url=https://kanoa.org.uk/erfurt/getting-around-erfurt/ |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=Kanoa UK |language=en-US}}</ref>

==== By airplane ====
[[Erfurt-Weimar Airport]] lies {{cvt|3|km|0}} west of the city centre. It is linked to the central train station via Stadtbahn (tram). It was significantly extended in the 1990s, with flights mostly to Mediterranean holiday destinations and to London during the peak Christmas market tourist season. Connections to longer haul flights are easily accessible via [[Frankfurt Airport]], which can be reached in 2 hours via a direct train from Frankfurt Airport to Erfurt, and from [[Leipzig Halle Airport|Leipzig/Halle Airport]], which can be reached within half an hour.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

==== By bike ====
{{Unreferenced section|date=September 2023}}
Biking is becoming increasingly popular since construction of high quality cycle tracks began in the 1990s. There are cycle lanes for general commuting within Erfurt city.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

Long-distance trails, such as the ''Gera track'' and the ''{{lang|de|Radweg Thüringer Städtekette}}'' (Thuringian cities trail), connect points of tourist interest. The former runs along the [[Gera (river)|Gera]] river valley from the [[Thuringian Forest]] to the river [[Unstrut]]; the latter follows the medieval [[Via Regia]] from [[Eisenach]] to [[Altenburg]] via [[Gotha]], Erfurt, [[Weimar]], and [[Jena]].{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

The [[Rennsteig Cycle Way]] was opened in 2000. This designated high-grade hiking and bike trail runs along the ridge of the Thuringian Central Uplands. The bike trail, about {{cvt|200|km|0}} long, occasionally departs from the course of the historic Rennsteig hiking trail, which dates back to the 1300s, to avoid steep inclines. It is therefore about {{cvt|30|km|0}} longer than the hiking trail.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

The Rennsteig is connected to the [[E3 European long distance path]], which goes from the Atlantic coast of Spain to the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria, and the [[E6 European long distance path]], running from Arctic Finland to Turkey.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

=== Education ===
After reunification, the educational system was reorganized. The [[University of Erfurt]], founded in 1379<ref name="ReferenceA"/> and closed in 1816, was refounded in 1994 with a focus on social sciences, modern languages, humanities and teacher training. Today there are approximately 6,000 students working within four faculties, the Max Weber Center for Advanced Cultural and Social Studies, and three academic research institutes.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.uni-erfurt.de/en/university-of-erfurt/faculties-institutes-services/ |title=Faculties, Institutes & Services |access-date=31 January 2016 |archive-date=28 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160328130639/https://www.uni-erfurt.de/en/university-of-erfurt/faculties-institutes-services/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The university has an international reputation and participates in international student exchange programmes.<ref>[https://www.uni-erfurt.de/en/international/incoming/ Universität Efurt. International Students] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102222701/https://www.uni-erfurt.de/en/international/incoming |date=2 November 2021 }}. Retrieved 15 January 2018</ref>

The ''Fachhochschule Erfurt'', is a [[Fachhochschule|university of applied sciences]], founded in 1991, which offers a combination of academic training and practical experience in subjects such as social work and social pedagogy, business studies, and engineering. There are nearly 5,000 students in six faculties, of which the faculty of landscaping and horticulture has a national reputation.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

The [[International University of Applied Sciences Bad Honnef - Bonn|International University of Applied Sciences Bad Honnef – Bonn (IUBH)]], is a privately run university with a focus on business and economics. It merged with the former Adam-Ries-Fachhochschule in 2013.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

The world renowned [[Bauhaus]] design school was founded in 1919 in the city of [[Weimar]],<ref>[https://www.bauhaus-2019.de/cms/website.php?id=/en/index.htm Bauhaus 2019. The Bauhaus in Thuringia.] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180116004431/https://www.bauhaus-2019.de/cms/website.php?id=%2Fen%2Findex.htm |date=16 January 2018 }} Retrieved 19 November 2016</ref> approximately {{cvt|20|km|0}} from Erfurt, 12 minutes by train. The buildings are now part of a [[World Heritage Site]] and are today used by the [[Bauhaus-Universität Weimar]], which teaches design, arts, media and technology-related subjects.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

Higher [[secondary education]] is provided at eight ''{{lang|de|[[Gymnasium (Germany)|Gymnasien]]}}'', of which six are state-owned, one is Catholic (''Edith-Stein-Schule'') and one Protestant (''Evangelisches Ratsgymnasium Erfurt''). Among the state-owned schools are a ''{{lang|de|Sportgymnasium}}'', a boarding school for students highly talented in athletics, swimming, ice skating or football, and the ''Albert-Schweitzer-Gymnasium'' featuring boarding-school classes with additional focus on mathematics, natural sciences and computer science, in addition to the common curriculum.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Leitbild des Staatlichen Gymnasiums „Albert Schweitzer“ Erfurt |url=https://www.asg-erfurt.de/schule/leitbild/ |access-date=2025-06-18 |publisher=Albert-Schweitzer-Gymnasium Erfurt}}</ref>

=== Media ===

The German national public television children's channel ''[[KiKa]]'' is based in Erfurt.<ref>{{Cite web |last=ZDF |first=KiKA-Kinderkanal von ARD und |date=2022-12-19 |title=KiKA makes programmes for children {{!}} KiKA |url=https://www.kika.de/eltern/ueber-uns/programming-for-children-100.html |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=kika.de |language=de}}</ref>

MDR, [[Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk]], a radio and television company, has a broadcast centre and studios in Erfurt.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

The ''[[Thüringer Allgemeine]]'' is a statewide newspaper that is headquartered in the city.<ref>[http://www.thueringer-allgemeine.de/kontakt Thüringer Allgemeine. Kontakt] {{Webarchive |url=https://archive.today/20140114001648/http://www.thueringer-allgemeine.de/kontakt |date=14 January 2014 }}. Retrieved 13 January 2014</ref>

== Politics ==

=== Mayor and city council ===
The first freely elected mayor after German reunification was Manfred Ruge of the [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]], who served from 1990 to 2006. From 2006 to 2024, [[Andreas Bausewein]] of the [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]] (SPD) was mayor. Andreas Horn (CDU) was elected in 2024. The most recent mayoral election was held on 26 May 2024, with a runoff held on 9 June, and the results were as follows:

{{election table}}
! rowspan=2 colspan=2| Candidate
! rowspan=2| Party
! colspan=2| First round
! colspan=2| Second round
|-
! Votes
! %
! Votes
! %
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}| 
| align=left| Andreas Horn
| align=left| [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]]
| 28,224
| 28.4
| 59,913
| 64.2
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}| 
| align=left| [[Andreas Bausewein]]
| align=left| [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]]
| 22,563
| 22.7
| 33,433
| 35.8
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alternative for Germany}}| 
| align=left| [[Stefan Möller]]
| align=left| [[Alternative for Germany]]
| 19,275
| 19.4
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|The Left (Germany)}}| 
| align=left| Matthias Bärwolff
| align=left| [[The Left (Germany)|The Left]]
| 12,742
| 12.8
|-
| 
| align=left| Jana Rötsch
| align=left| Better City Erfurt
| 12,447
| 12.5
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}| 
| align=left| David Maicher
| align=left| [[Alliance 90/The Greens]]
| 4,098
| 4.1
|-
! colspan=3| Valid votes
! 99,349
! 98.8
! 93,346
! 95.9
|-
! colspan=3| Invalid votes
! 1,196
! 1.2
! 3,831
! 4.1
|-
! colspan=3| Total
! 100,545
! 100.0
! 97,177
! 100.0
|-
! colspan=3| Electorate/voter turnout
! 169,899
! 59.2
! 169,569
! 57.3
|-
| colspan=7 align=right| Source: [https://www.erfurt.de/ef/de/rathaus/wahlen/ob/jahre/146914.html 1st round] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241007090907/https://www.erfurt.de/ef/de/rathaus/wahlen/ob/jahre/146914.html |date=7 October 2024 }}, [https://www.erfurt.de/ef/de/rathaus/wahlen/ob/jahre/147885.html 2nd round]{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
|}

The most recent city council election was held on 9 June 2024, and the results were as follows:

{{election table}}
! colspan=2| Party
! Lead candidate
! Votes
! %
! +/-
! Seats
! +/-
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}| 
| align=left| [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]] (CDU)
| align=left| Andreas Horn
| 71,551
| 24.8
| {{increase}} 5.2
| 12
| {{increase}} 2
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alternative for Germany}}| 
| align=left| [[Alternative for Germany]] (AfD)
| align=left| Stefan Möller
| 58,911
| 20.4
| {{increase}} 5.5
| 10
| {{increase}} 3
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}| 
| align=left| [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]] (SPD)
| align=left| Andreas Bausewein
| 46,834
| 16.2
| {{decrease}} 0.9
| 8
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|The Left (Germany)}}| 
| align=left| [[The Left (Germany)|The Left]] (Die Linke)
| align=left| Matthias Bärwolff
| 42,733
| 14.8
| {{decrease}} 1.7
| 8
| {{steady}} 0
|-
| 
| align=left| Better City Erfurt (M)
| align=left| Jana Rötsch
| 29,098
| 10.1
| {{increase}} 2.8
| 4
| {{increase}} 1
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}| 
| align=left| [[Alliance 90/The Greens]] (Grüne)
| align=left| Laura Wahl
| 21,721
| 7.5
| {{decrease}} 4.3
| 4
| {{decrease}} 2
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}| 
| align=left| [[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|Free Democratic Party]] (FDP)
| align=left| Stefanie Hantke
| 7,296
| 2.5
| {{decrease}} 2.9
| 1
| {{decrease}} 2
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Free Voters}}| 
| align=left| [[Free Voters]] (FW)
| align=left| Peter Stampf
| 6,111
| 2.1
| {{decrease}} 2.9
| 1
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Pirate Party Germany}}| 
| align=left| [[Pirate Party Germany|Pirate Party]]/[[Ecological Democratic Party|ÖDP]] (Piraten/ÖDP)
| align=left| Peter Städter
| 4,831
| 1.9
| {{decrease}} 0.2
| 1
| {{steady}} 0
|-
! colspan=3| Valid votes
! 289,086
! 100.0
! 
! 
! 
|-
! colspan=3| Total ballots
! 100,530
! 100.0
! 
! 50
! ±0
|-
! colspan=3| Electorate/voter turnout
! 169,887
! 59.2
! {{increase}} 0.8
! 
! 
|-
| colspan=8| Source: [https://www.erfurt.de/ef/de/rathaus/wahlen/kommunal/jahre/146915.html Wahlen in Thüringen] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241007091239/https://www.erfurt.de/ef/de/rathaus/wahlen/kommunal/jahre/146915.html |date=7 October 2024 }}
|}

==Twin towns – sister cities==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany}}
Erfurt is [[Sister city|twinned]] with:<ref>{{cite web |title=Partnerstädte |url=https://www.erfurt.de/ef/de/rathaus/sv/partner/index.html |website=erfurt.de |publisher=Erfurt |language=de |access-date=2019-11-25 |archive-date=4 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231004191803/https://www.erfurt.de/ef/de/rathaus/sv/partner/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* {{flagicon|HUN}} [[Győr]], Hungary (1971)
* {{flagicon|LTU}} [[Vilnius]], Lithuania (1972)
* {{flagicon|POL}} [[Kalisz]], Poland (1982)
* {{flagicon|GER}} [[Mainz]], Germany (1988)
* {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Lille]], France (1991)
* {{flagicon|USA}} [[Shawnee, Kansas|Shawnee]], United States (1993)
* {{flagicon|ARG}} [[San Miguel de Tucumán]], Argentina (1993)
* {{flagicon|BUL}} [[Lovech]], Bulgaria (1996)
* {{flagicon|ISR}} [[Haifa]], Israel (2000)
* {{flagicon|CHN}} [[Xuzhou]], China (2005)
* {{flagicon|MLI}} [[Kati]], Mali (2011)
{{div col end}}

== Notable people ==
* ''See: [[List of people from Erfurt]]''

==Footnotes==
{{reflist|group=note}}
{{reflist|group=nb}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{See also|Timeline of Erfurt#Bibliography|l1=Bibliography of the history of Erfurt}}

== External links ==
{{Commons}}
{{wikivoyage|Erfurt}}
* [https://artsandculture.google.com/story/vgWhluwfPhmk3Q Jewish-Medieval Heritage of Erfurt] UNESCO Collection on Google Arts and Culture
* [http://www.stadtpanoramen.de/en/erfurt/erfurt.html Erfurt City Panoramas] – Panoramic Views and virtual Tours
* [http://www.kraemerbruecke.de/index.php?lng=eng Kraemerbruecke]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070102141313/http://www.cityofshawnee.org/SisterCities/erfurt.htm Sister City (since 1993)] with [[Shawnee, Kansas]]
* [http://www.myworldshots.com/Germany/Erfurt World Shots. Germany. Erfurt.] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120930001525/http://www.myworldshots.com/Germany/Erfurt |date=30 September 2012 }} – Collection of photographs (English, Russian, Hebrew)
* [http://www.topfundsoehne.de/ Memorial and Museum Topf & Sons. ] – Builders of the Auschwitz Oven
* [http://historic-cities.huji.ac.il/germany/erfurt/erfurt.html Old maps of Erfurt] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210110225643/http://historic-cities.huji.ac.il/germany/erfurt/erfurt.html |date=10 January 2021 }} - Eran Laor Cartographic Collection, The [[National Library of Israel]] in [http://historic-cities.huji.ac.il/historic_cities.html Historic Cities Research Project] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325051637/http://historic-cities.huji.ac.il/historic_cities.html |date=25 March 2022 }}

{{Geographic location
|Centre    = Erfurt
|North     = [[Braunschweig]] – [[Magdeburg]]
|Northeast = [[Halle (Saale)|Halle]] – [[Leipzig]]
|East      = [[Weimar]] – [[Jena]] – [[Dresden]]
|Southeast = [[Plzeň|Plzeň ''(Pilsen)'']]<br />([[Czech Republic|CZ]])
|South     = [[Bamberg]]<br />[[Nuremberg]]
|Southwest = [[Frankfurt]] – [[Würzburg]]
|West      = [[Kassel]] – [[Eisenach]]
|Northwest = [[Göttingen]] - [[Hildesheim]] - [[Hanover]]
}}

{{Capitals of the states of the Federal Republic of Germany}}
{{List of European capitals by region}}
{{Germany districts Thuringia}}
{{Cities in Germany}}
{{Cities in Thuringia}}
{{Bezirke DDR Seats}}
{{Hanseatic League}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Erfurt| ]]
[[Category:German state capitals]]
[[Category:Medieval German architecture]]
[[Category:Members of the Hanseatic League]]
[[Category:Holocaust locations in Germany]]
[[Category:Urban districts of Thuringia]]