Erfurt, city in central Germany, on the Gera River, capital of the state of Thüringen. The economic focus of the scenic Thuringian Basin, Erfurt is an important manufacturing, transportation and cultural center. Products include electrical equipment, business machines, computers, chemicals, clothing, footwear, and processed food. Erfurt is also a center for the production of flower and vegetable seeds.
Erfurt was a famous place of learning from the 14th to the 16th century. Its university, founded in 1392, attracted scholars from many parts of Europe, and Martin Luther studied there from 1501 to 1505. At that time 40 churches and 13 monasteries were located in Erfurt. The university was closed in 1816. Some of its original buildings remain as noted landmarks. It was reconstituted in 1992, on its 600th anniversary and Erfurt's 1250th. The city is now the seat of a medical academy (1954). Other points of interest in Erfurt include a large 13th-century church and Gothic cathedral, which are both dedicated to Saint Severus and dominate the city from atop the Domberg hill; the former monastery of the Augustinians where Luther was ordained in 1507; and several other medieval ecclesiastical buildings. The 12th-century Tradesman's Bridge, on which merchants built gold and spice shops, is the only bridge of its kind north of Italy.
Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
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