GOTHA, go'tii. The capital of the Duchy of Gotha and the second residenee of the dukes of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. situated on the Leina Canal, 17 miles by rail southwest of Erfurt (Map: Germany, D 3). Gotha is a well-built, pleasant city, near the northern edge of the Thuringian Forest. It is composed of the old town and four modern suburbs separated from it by promenades. The finest building is the Ducal Palace of Friedenstein, situated on an eminence south of the old town. It is an ex tensive building, with two massive towers, erected in 1643 by Ernest the Pious. It is surrounded by promenades and a park, and contains a library of 200,000 volumes, as well as 7000 manuscripts, including many in Arabic, and one of the best collections of coins in Germany. The public park is worthy of note.
The well-known museum was constructed in an ornate Renaissance style in 1864-77. It contains an extensive collection of ancient pottery, gold, ornaments, weapons, embroideries; an ethno graphical collection; a splendid gallery of paint ings, rich in old masters; a collection of sculp tures, engravings, and casts; a natural-history cabinet; and a variety of miscellaneous treas ures. Other noteworthy buildings are the fine sixteenth-century Renaissance Rathaus, the Au gustinian Church with a large altarpiece, the theatre, and the Friedrichsthal Palace (now occupied by the Government offices), the Masonic lodge, and the post-office.
The town is governed by an over-burgomaster, a burgomaster, five senators, and 24 councilmen.
It is lighted by electricity, and has an electric street railway. Educational and benevolent in stitutions are numerous, including art and medi cal schools. There are also many active unions and associations, scientific, historical, etc. The city is an important centre in the publishing and art trade of Germany. The famous Almanach de Gotha and Petermann's Mitteilungen are pub lished here, being issued by the firm of Justhus Perthes, the foremost geographical establishment in Germany. Industrially and commercially, Gotha is one of the most important cities of 'Thuringia. The chief products are porcelain ware, meat, footwear, tobacco, machinery, soap, woolens, stoves, and brick. There are also large railway repair-shops, and numerous engraving establishments. Population, in 1890, 28,134; in 1900, 34,651, composed almost exclusively of Protestants.
Gotha probably was a village at the time of Charlemagne. It is first mentioned as a town at the beginning of the twelfth century, when it belonged to the landgraves of Thuringia. In 1440 it passed to the electors of Saxony. In the partition of the Saxon dominions in 1485 it be came part of the possessions of the Ernestine line, and since 1640 has been the capital of the Duchy of Gotha. See SAXE-COBURG:GOTHA.