Meiningen was once the capital of its own independent region and has remained the cultural hub of the southwestern part of Thuringia.
The parish church of Meiningen in Thuringia
It is located to the south of Eisenach and Schmalkalden on the edges of the Thuringian Forest. It is very close to the border with Hesse and Bavaria and, like its neighbour Schmalkalden, is regarded as part of the Franconian region which spans parts of those three states.
Although it is the third most distant option, the choice of flight times and destinations is likely to make the international and national hub at Frankfurt Airport the best option for arriving by air.
Distance to Erfurt-Weimar Airport: 84km
Distance to Nuremberg Airport: 177km
Distance to Frankfurt Airport: 180km
Distance to Leipzig-Halle Airport: 215km
Erfurt, Leipzig and Nuremberg do offer the occasional low-cost international carrier and a number of connections within Germany so should be checked to see if there is a possible advantage through using those destinations.
The main Meiningen train station is at the back of the Englischer Garten not far from the theatre. It has regular regional connections through to the main-line stations at Eisenach, Erfurt and Schweinfurt.
Meiningen is a pleasant town with a cultural history and plenty of sights to visit. Unusually for a town this size there are a number of established parks in close proximity to the main sights.
Most of the hotels are on the edge of the pedestrianised town centre not far from the extensive green park areas.
If you know when you are planning to go but haven't decided on accommodation, then use the map below to get an idea of which properties are available and to compare prices during the period you wish to travel.
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The history of Meiningen goes back to the 10th century when it was first mentioned in legal documents.
The town remained something of a backwater for centuries as a centre for clothmaking but in the 17th century it suddenly sprung to a degree of prominence.
Succession problems with the regional ruling family meant that a number of small duchies were created.
The theatre in Meiningen
The Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen was given to one of the sons and he made Meiningen the capital, giving it the status of a ducal residence town (a 'Residenzstadt').
The actual residence building where the duke lived was built during this time and the Elisabethenburg castle still stands on the edge of the town centre, housing art collections and the Meiningen Museum.
Some of the cultural heritage of the town dates back to these days - the English gardens were created in the late 18th century and the original court theatre was built in the early 19th century.
The Meiningen theatre has an important historical role in German culture and the location is known as the 'theatre town'. Encouraged and financed by Duke George II, the Meiningen theatre and its principles took a leading part in creating a more democratic and historically authentic style of production. Its productions toured around Europe for 16 years in the late 19th century and some of the original stage sets can be seen in the Meiningen Theatre Museum.
The tourist office in Meiningen is situated in a small office near the church in the centre of the pedestrian area . It is open all week except Sundays with slightly restricted opening times on Saturdays:
Website: www.meiningen.de