SAXE-WEIMAR-EISENACH, a grand-duchy on the northern fron tiers of the Thuringian Forest, consists of the principalities of Weimar and Eisenach, which are separated by Saxe-Gotha, and of the insulated district of Nenstadt, besides various detached portions. Weimar lies along the banks of the Seale, and Eisenach on those of the Werra near the Thuringian and Rhin mountains. It extends from 50° 25' to 51' 27' N. lat., 9° 53' to 12° 18' E. long., over an area of about 1396 square miles (of which Weimar occupies about 690 miles, Eisenach 465 miles, and Neustadt 241 miles), and is bounded N. and N.E. by Prussian Saxony, E. and S.E. by Altenburg and Reuss, and S. and W. by portions of Schwarzburg, Coburg-Gotha, Meiningen, Bavaria, and Electoral Helve.
Except in the district of Neustadt the soil is rich and well adapted to agriculture, wherever the gently undulating hills do not rise into mountain ridges, but the most elevated point, the Gikkelhahn near Ilmenau, does not attain a height of more than 2700 feet.
The principal rivers are—the Seale, Ihn, Elster Orla, Unstrut, and Gera, in Weimar, and the Werra, Horsel, Nesse, Ulster, and Felda in Eisenach, which are all tributaries of the Elbe and Weser. There are mineral springs near Berke and Ruhla.
The chief productions are wool, which is the staple article of com merce, grain of all kinds, vegetables, fruit, flax, hemp, rapeseed, hops, • small quantity of wine, pitch, tar, and lampblack. The mineral productions include manganese, alabaster, porcelain and potters'-elay, sandstone and freestone, iron, and salt. The rearing of cattle forms an important branch of industry ; the horned cattle are mostly reared in Neustadt; and sheep of an improved breed in Weimar.
The population of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach in 1853 was 262,524, in the following proportions :— Weimar, 132,424 ; Eisenach, 82,321 ; Neustadt, 47,779. Of the whole population of the duchy about 250,000 belong to the established Lutheran and the Reformed Pro testant churches; about 10,000 are Roman Catholics, and about 1500 are Jews. Eisenach principality, with its capital, Eisenach, and its other principal towns, are noticed in the article EISENACU. The uni versity is described under JENA. Of the other towns in the duchy the following may he named :— Weimar, capital of the principality of Weimar, and of the grand-duchy, is situated on the left bank of the river Dm, about 13 miles E. from Erfurt. It stands in a pleasant valley, surrounded by bills, and contains a population of about 12,000.
The town of Weimar is illustrious in the annals of German literature by the names of Gotha, Herder, Schiller, Wieland, Kotzebue, and others. The palace is finely situated in a beautiful park, and is fitted np with great elegance and taste. The grand-ducal library, founded in contains about 140,000 volumes, and is open to the public. The principal church contains the sepulchres of the reigning family. In this church are several floe paintings by Lucas Kranach. In the town are numerous educational institutions. A private company io Weimar publishes numerone map., charts, and important geographical works. Besides the palace and the two churches, the chief public buildings are—the court theatre, the workhouse, the hospital, the library, and the new mews. The manufactures carried on are of small extent. The railway from Gotha to Halle passes Weimar polda, population 4000, about 9 miles N.H. from Weimar, pos e:oases mineral springs, and manufactories of hosiery, woollen-cloth, ker ieymeres, and linen. There are also bell foundries. Cepa, population ibout 1800, is situated on the Ulster River, about 24 miles S.S.W. from Eisenach. Neustadt, 24 miles S.E. from Weimar, population 4250, is dtuated on the river Orla, which flows into the Saabs. There is here a kcal residence. Woollen-cloth, linen, and leather are manufactured ay the inhabitants. Weida, population about 4000, is situated on the +rem Anma and Weida, about 14 miles E. from Neuetadt. In the duchy )f Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach there are several gymnasia and lyceums, and numerous town and village schools ; training schools for teachers ; asylums for the blind and the deaf and dumb; a school for forest economy, free schools of industry, &c., besides many literary and Icientifie institutions. The court of Weimar has long been celebrated for its liberal encouragement of the fine arts.
The line of Weimar boasts its descent from the illustrious John Frederick of Saxony, who, on being deprived by Charles V. of his electoral dignity and dominions, had certaiu territories assigned to him in Thuringia. The founder of the house of Weimar is John, who was born in 1570, and whose original patrimony has been considerably augmented by purchase and the extinction of some of the collateral branches. At the Congress of Vienna Charles Augustus, the then duke, received an accession of territory with 77,000 subjects, and the dignity of grand-duke, which confers the title of royal highness.