Thesaurus

The state of Hessen occupies 8,152 square miles in north-central Germany. Its territory forms the core of the medieval margraviate of Hessen, and extends west to east from the Rhine Plateau to the Thuringian Forest. The original landmargraviate of Hesse was founded from a portion of Thuringia. Its ruler, Henry I, came to hold the rank of prince in the Holy Roman Empire in 1292. Under Philip the Magnanimous, Hesse was twice partitioned and reunited, finally to be divided into four sections, one for each of his sons. In 1945 the modern state was created from the Hesse territories and part of Nassau. The capital is Wiesbaden and its largest city is Frankfurt am Main. The state is known for its educational institutions, and for the ruined castles and old churches along the Weser River, and the many half-timbered houses scattered throughout. The economy features agriculture on small or large scales, and a great deal of manufacturing, primarily in the south. The 2004 estimated population was 6,105,200