Greiz

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Greiz is a town in Thuringia, the capital of the district Greiz. Greiz is situated in eastern Thuringia on the river Weiße Elster.

Greiz is the capital of the district Greiz.

The prime location of Greiz at the river Elster and the stream Göltzsch made it a fast growing town. It kept expanding during the last 1000 years. It has been recognized as town in the 13th century for the first time. Later the Reuß, a ruling German dynasty, built 2 castles in Greiz: the "Oberes Schloß" (Upper castle) and the "Unteres Schloß" (Lower castle). Both were built by famous architects and are still considered unique. Greiz has a huge park in its center which is classified as an English garden. Its landscape is unique and well worth a visit. The Thomas Straße with its Jugenstil houses is also very famous, being used as examples of that architectural style all over the world.

During the World War II Greiz didn't suffer much damage, although 3 of the 5 bridges in town were destroyed. Greiz currently has a population of about 23,750 people (as of December 31, 2005). There is a decrease in inhabitants because of rather large unemployment and a low birth-rate.

The current mayor is Gerd Grüner (SPD). The following industries are established: Thioplast, paper, machines and special sensors. Adjacent cities include: Elsterberg, Reichenbach, Hohenleuben and Werdau.