Gera
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{{Infobox German Location
|Art = Stadt
|Wappen = wappen Gera.png
|lat_deg = 50 |lat_min = 52|lat_sec = 50
|lon_deg = 12 |lon_min = 05 |lon_sec = 00
|Lageplan = Lage der kreisfreien Stadt Gera in Deutschland.png
|Lageplanbeschreibung = Location of Gera within Germany
|Bundesland = Thuringia
|Landkreis = Kreisfreie Stadt
|Höhe = 205
|image_photo=Blick vom Rathausturm über Gera.jpg
|image_caption=A view of Gera.
|Fläche = 151.93
|Einwohner = 102486
|Stand = 2006-12-31
|pop_ref = <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tls.thueringen.de/seite.asp?aktiv=dat01&startbei=datenbank/default2.asp |title=Population of Thuringia by district |author=Thüringer Landesamt für Statistik |accessdate=2007-08-10}}</ref>
|PLZ = 07457-07557
|Vorwahl = 0365, 0336695
|Kfz = G
|Website = [http://www.gera.de/ www.gera.de]
|Bürgermeister = Norbert Vornehm
|Bürgermeistertitel =
|Partei = SPD
|year = 995
}}
'''Gera''' is the third largest city in the German state of [[Thuringia]] after [[Erfurt]], the Thuringian capital. It is situated in east Thuringia on the river "White Elster" (literally the "White Magpie"), approximately 60 kilometres to the south of the city of [[Leipzig]] and 80 kilometers to the east of Erfurt. In 2006 Gera had a population of approximately 102,000.
==History==
The name ''Gera'' was first mentioned in 995. From 1848 to 1918 Gera was the capital of the [[Reuss junior line]] principality. In 1920 the city became part of Thuringia (''German:'' Thüringen). Large portions of the city were destroyed by aerial bombing in 1945. Until [[German reunification]] in 1990 the city belonged to the [[German Democratic Republic]] (East Germany).
==Main sights==
Sights in Gera include:
* [[Town Hall]] (1576, [[Renaissance]])
* [[Market square|Market Square]] with Simson-[[fountain]]
* Castle Osterstein (largely destroyed 1945)
* City Pharmacy
* Theater (1902)
* Villa Schulenburg, designed by [[Henry van de Velde]]
* St. Johannis church ([[Neo-Gothic]])
*St. Salvator church ([[Baroque architecture|Baroque]] with [[Art Nouveau]] interior decoration)
*St. Marien church (Late Gothic)
*St. Trinitatis church (Late Gothic)
* Old beer cellars called "Geraer Höhler"
* Zoo Gera (since 1973)
Museums in Gera include:
* City Museum
* [[Otto Dix]] House
* Art Galley "Orangerie"
* Museum of Natural History ("Schreiber House", oldest building in the city)
* Museum for Applied Arts ("Ferber House")
In 2007 Gera, together with [[Ronneburg, Thuringia|Ronneburg]], is venue of the [http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bundesgartenschau Bundesgartenschau] (the federal horticultural show).
==Transportation==
In the eastern part of Gera lies the airfield Gera-Leumnitz. The nearest airport is [[Leipzig-Altenburg Airport|Leipzig-Altenburg]] (approx. 40 km). The airport [[Leipzig/Halle Airport|Leipzig-Halle]] with many international destinations is about 90 km north of Gera.
==Twin towns==
* {{flagicon|Germany}} [[Nuremberg]], [[Germany]]
* {{flagicon|France}} [[Saint-Denis]], [[France]]
* {{flagicon|Bulgaria}} [[Sliven]], [[Bulgaria]]
* {{flagicon|Czech Republic}} [[Plzeň]], [[Czech Republic]]
* {{flagicon|Finland}} [[Kuopio]] [[Finland]]
* {{flagicon|Romania}} [[Timişoara]], [[Romania]]
* {{flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Arnhem]], [[Netherlands]]
* {{flagicon|Russia}} [[Rostov-on-Don]], [[Russia]]
* {{flagicon|USA}} [[Fort Wayne, Indiana|Fort Wayne]], [[United States]]
* {{flagicon|Poland}} [[Skierniewice]], [[Poland]]
* {{flagicon|Russia}} [[Pskov]], [[Russia]]
* {{flagicon|Bosnia and Herzegovina}} [[Goražde]], [[Bosnia and Herzegovina|Bosnia]]
==Notable natives==
*[[Johann Heinrich Gottfried Koch]], (1705-1775)
*[[Heinrich Gustav Beck]], (1857-1933), [[Ministerpräsident]] of [[Saxony]] 1914-1918
*[[Otto Dix]] (1891-1969), artist
*[[Rudolf Paul]], (1893-1978), President of Thuringia 1945-1947
*Karl Weschke, (1925-2005), painter
*[[Georg Buschner]], (born 1925), head coach East Germany national football team
*Helga Königsdorf, (born 1938), mathematician and author
*[[Marlies Göhr]], (born 1958), athlete
*[[Olaf Ludwig]], (born 1960), racing cyclist
*[[Wolfgang Tiefensee]], (born 1955), politician
*[[Heike Drechsler]], (born 1964), athlete
*Jens Heppner, (born 1964), racing cyclist
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* [http://www.gera.de/ Official website of Gera]
{{Germany districts thuringia}}
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