Arnstadt – from Roman times to the Reunion

Arnstadt is the oldest documented city in Thuringia dating back to 704. In its hey-day it was a wealthy Roman trade hub located at the intersection of two major trade routes. Known for its manufacturing might, timber and grain production, as well as a prosperous cloth-making industry, milling and trade in wine, wood, grain, wool, and vegetables, Arnstadt has enjoyed an independent existence for more than a 1000 years. The city's long history shows the evolution of a small town into a rich independent city and then back to a small town as it is today. If you want to understand rural Germany - the way more than 50% of Germans live and think - come to Arnstadt and trace its history from the Roman Empire to the present day.