Gotha

Gotha, formerly the capital of an old German duchy of the same name, but now the chief town of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha in the north, as Cobnrg is in the south, stands on a canal of the river Leina, six miles north of the great Thuringian forest. In Charlemagne's time it was a village, but under the Landgraves of Thuringia grew into a town under the walls of the strong castle of Gummenstein. Passing into the hands of the Electors of Saxony in the Ernestine line, it became merged, on the death of Duke Ernest the Pious, in the duchy of Coburg. Among the public buildings are the Margaret and the Kloster churches, two smaller ducal residences, the legislative chambers, the gymnasium, the observatory, and a school occupying the former abode of Lucas Cranach. A large trade is carried on, but the most famous local industries are sausage-making and publishing, the famous firm of Perthes and Co. taking lead in the latter.