Merkers-Kieselbach

Merkers Adventure Mines are a visitor attraction in Krayenberggemeinde in the Wartburgkreis district of Thuringia, Germany, owned and operated by K+S AG of Kassel. They lie near the village of Merkers. The mines have a long history of salt extraction, and hold the record for concealing large amounts of Nazi gold during World War II. A hundred tons of gold and many works of art presumed to be stolen were discovered by the liberating United States Army in 1945.

The Krayenburg was a castle situated on the Krayenberg hill in Germany, having the townships of Tiefenort and Merkers-Kieselbach at its foot, and overlooking an extensive section of the Werratal. On 31 August 786 Charlemagne gave the village of Dorndorf and all of its belongings to Hersfeld Abbey; the abbey built the Krayenburg to protect it. The castle changed ownership repeatedly. It was owned by Graf Adam von Beichlingen, who died on 7 August 1538 and is buried in the church in Tiefenort. The Thirty Years' War started the destruction of the castle when Croatian troops (under Johann Ludwig Hektor von Isolani) captured the Krayenburg. However, it continued to play an important role in German history until the 19th century. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe visited the castle in 1782, the year he was ennobled. The castle was originally very large, once larger than Wartburg Castle. The ruins have been restored and are open to visitors; there is a restaurant with hotel on the former site. A tower allows a wide view into the Werratal.

Krayenberggemeinde is a municipality in the Wartburgkreis district of Thuringia, Germany. It was named after the hill Krayenberg. It was formed on 31 December 2013 by the merger of the former municipalities Dorndorf and Merkers-Kieselbach.

The Krayenberg is a 431-metre (1,414 ft) hill near Tiefenort, Germany. Since 500 BCE it was a rampart and served as a refuge for the central part of the Werratal. It became important for German history due to the Krayenburg, which was built on its top after 786, and destroyed starting with the Thirty Years' War. Today, the well-maintained ruins, a restaurant and a hotel define a tourist location in the Werratal.

The Menzengraben mining accident was the explosion of a large pocket of carbon dioxide in a salt mine in Menzengraben, East Germany, on 7 July 1953. During a planned, nightly explosives detonation in the mine, an unusually large pocket of pressurized carbon dioxide was suddenly released, resulting in the ejection of large blocks of salt through the mine shaft at very high velocities. The expanding gas as well as the blocks of salt demolished the building above the mine shaft, resulting in blocks of concrete being ejected as well. Three died as a consequence, one from being hit by debris, two from asphyxiation.

Dorndorf is a village and a former municipality in the Wartburgkreis district of Thuringia, Germany. Since 31 December 2013, it is part of the municipality Krayenberggemeinde.

Stadtlengsfeld is a town and a former municipality in the Wartburgkreis district of Thuringia, Germany. Since 1 January 2019, it is part of the municipality Dermbach. It is situated in the Rhön Mountains, 8 km southwest of Bad Salzungen.

Felda is a river of Thuringia, Germany. It flows into the Werra in Dorndorf. The main source of the Felda is located immediately south of Erbenhausen am Bergsattel between the Stellberg (662.3 m) in the south and the Alten Mark (675.7 m) in the north at an altitude of about 510 m; The Herpf rises in the eastern neighborhood. A left source stream, called Rodgraben, rises at about 676 m altitude on the eastern slope of the Ellenbogen (813 m) and passes the place Reichenhausen immediately above the confluence. After a route along the federal road 285 through Kaltensundheim, Kaltennordheim, Fischbach / Rhön, Diedorf, Neidhartshausen and Dermbach to Hartschimmern and further along the state road 1022 via Weilar, Stadtlengsfeld, Menzengraben and Dietlas, the Felda flows into the Dorndorf at an altitude of 225.1 m there from the east coming Weser source river Werra. The route of the former Feldabahn follows its eponymous river between Kaltennordheim and Dorndorf and crosses it several times.

Tiefenort is a village and a former municipality in the Wartburgkreis district of Thuringia, Germany. Since July 2018, it is part of the town Bad Salzungen. It is situated on the river Werra, 5 km west of Bad Salzungen, and 8 km east of Vacha, Germany.

Martinroda is a village and a former municipality in the Wartburgkreis district of Thuringia, Germany. Since 31 December 2013, it is part of the town Vacha.