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Hesse or Hessia (German: Hessen ⓘ), officially the State of Hesse (German: Land Hessen), is a state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt, which is also the country's principal financial centre. Two other major historic cities are Darmstadt and Kassel. With an area of 21,114.73 square kilometers ...
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- Geography
Hessen, Land (state) in the west-central part of Germany. Hessen is bounded by the states of Lower Saxony to the north, Thuringia to the east, Bavaria to the southeast, Baden-Württemberg to the south, Rhineland-Palatinate to the west, and North Rhine–Westphalia to the northwest. Its capital is Wiesbaden. Area 8,152 square miles (21,114 square km). ...
Hessen lies between the Upper Rhine Plateau to the west and the Thuringian Forest to the east and consists mainly of richly wooded uplands. The Hessen Central Uplands contain the conical masses of the volcanic Vogels Mountains (Vogelsberg), which are the largest continuous basalt area in Europe, covering some 950 square miles (2,460 square km). The Rhön, in eastern Hessen, is a mountainous mass rising to the Wasser Peak (3,117 feet [950 metres]), Hessen’s highest mountain. The Spessart Forest and the Odenwald both belong in part to Hessian territory. The northern part of Hessen is drained by the northward-flowing Fulda River and its tributary the Eder. Near Münden the Fulda unites with the Werra River to form the Weser. Most of the rest of the state is drained westward by rivers that are tributaries of the Main and Rhine rivers. Beeches and conifers cover the highlands, and cultivated land lies on the limestone uplands and on the loess soils of the river lowlands.
The largest cities are Frankfurt am Main, Wiesbaden, Kassel, Darmstadt, and Offenbach am Main. The majority of the population is Protestant, and most of the remainder is Roman Catholic.
The state is well wooded, and small-scale farming is still widespread, although much marginal farmland has been abandoned. Wheat is the most widely grown crop, followed by potatoes and sugar beets. Poultry, pigs, and cattle are the chief livestock. Southwestern Hessen is primarily industrial, but it is also an area of intensive agriculture. The plains along the Rhine and Main rivers are a mosaic of vineyards, orchards, and fields of grain, potatoes, and tobacco. The surrounding hills have a three-year rotation of rye, oats, and potatoes, and livestock farms focus on the production of butter and cheese. Market gardening is especially important near the cities.
The state’s mineral resources are quite limited. There are some low-grade iron ores, of little economic significance, in the Taunus Mountains, salt mines near Fulda, and small brown-coal deposits near Frankfurt am Main and Kassel. The Werra valley in Kassel is the site of Germany’s largest potash fields.
The state’s industries depend on the Rhine waterway and its extensions up the Main and Neckar. The Rhine-Main area, centred on Frankfurt am Main, Mainz, and Wiesbaden, is one of the great industrial regions of Germany. Kassel, Offenbach, Wiesbaden, and Darmstadt are other large manufacturing centres. Quality steel is produced in Wetzlar. Vehicles, machinery, chemicals, electrical goods, scientific instruments, and textiles are among the products of these and other towns. New industries have developed since World War II, stimulated by the arrival of German refugees from eastern Europe. These enterprises include the making of glass, toys, and musical instruments. Book publishing is a prominent economic activity as well. Frankfurt am Main is an important financial centre, home to the European Union’s central bank and Germany’s major stock market.
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- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
20th century. In 1918, Hesse-Nassau became part of the Free State of Prussia until 1944. From 1944–45 as part of Nazi Germany, it was divided into the Prussian provinces of Kurhessen and Nassau. From 1945–46, it was renamed Greater Hesse ( German: Großhessen) and was part of the US occupation zone in Germany.
Feb 3, 2021 · Hesse is a state in Germany with magical little towns, scenic landscapes and castles. Explore the romantic old town of Marburg, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kurpark Bad Homburg, the Felsenmeer forest and more. Discover the history and culture of Hesse with its famous cities like Wiesbaden, Kassel and Limburg.
- Marion Kutter
October 9, 1937, near Darmstadt (aged 68) Ernest Louis (born November 25, 1868, Darmstadt, Hesse-Darmstadt [Germany]—died October 9, 1937, near Darmstadt) was the grand duke of Hesse-Darmstadt from 1892 until his abdication in 1918, at the end of World War I. His father was the grand duke Louis IV, whom he succeeded on March 13, 1892, and his ...
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Hesse is a heartland of Germany with diverse attractions, from nature and culture to hiking and cycling. Explore the Frankfurt Rhine-Main region, the Taunus, Vogelsberg, Spessart, Odenwald, Rheingau, Spessart and Odenwald hills, the Rheingau wine-growing region, the Kellerwald-Edersee National Park, the Brothers Grimm's birthplace and more.
Hessen - German State, Rhine-Main Region: The Hessians are generally supposed to be descended from the Frankish tribe of the Chatti, whose homeland lay north of the Main River. The Chatti were Christianized by St. Boniface in the early 8th century. Their territory was governed by various dynasties of counts beginning in the 10th century, but in 1130 the region of Hessen was joined to the ...
