This town lies on the northwestern slopes of the Thuringian Forest, at the confluence of the Nesse and Horsel rivers, 50km (30 miles) west of Erfurt. Eisenach, once a center of the East German auto industry, is not particularly charming, but it does have one of the region's finest castles and a few sights associated with Luther and Bach, who were both born here. Half-timbered houses ring its ancient market square.
