Ilm (Thuringia)

Sternbrücke in Weimar

The Ilm is a left tributary of the Saale in Thuringia. It is 134.9 km long on the nominal loud TLUG source Bach Lengwitz 134.2 km, via the free stream and drains a catchment area of 1043 km ² in the middle of Thuringia, to minimal proportions in the south of Saxony -Anhalt.

The Ilm rises in the Thuringian Forest southwest of Ilmenau, then flows through a heavily karstified region, seep into the parts of their water and accrue by Springe other tributaries of the river Saale, about Weimar and Apolda to the border with Saxony -Anhalt, where it opens into the hall. The Ilm is after Saale, Werra and Unstrut the fourth longest river in Thuringia and also the fourth-longest tributary of the Saale.

The catchment area of the Ilm there are no major dams, which is unusual for the low mountain range of the Ilm. The largest reservoir is just 42 hectares memory Hohenfelden in Tannrodaer woodland northwest crane field. In the lower reaches around Bad Sulza Saale Unstrut wines are grown on the slopes of the Ilm valley. Culture History the Ilm is significant as flow through Weimar, it inspired local artists such as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and found its way into their work.

  • 3.1 Ecology
  • 3.2 aquatic fauna
  • 5.1 Ilmtourismus
  • 5.2 Ilm in poetry

Course

The Ilm has significantly shaped the landscape and extends along its entire length in a clearly into relief the buried valley. The river flows through the Ilm-Kreis and the district of Weimar and the independent city of Weimar. In Großheringen north of Bad Sulza it flows into the Saale. In your running it flows through a variety of different landscapes from the Thuringian Forest to the river Saale -Unstrut region. They zertalt in their middle course between Stadtilm and Weimar for a length of about 50 kilometers, the Ilm -Saale- plate.

Headwaters

The nominal Ilm begins its course on the north slope of the Thuringian Forest north of Stuetzerbach in Ilm-Kreis, which it gave its name, at 575 m above sea level. Here is the confluence of three, commonly known as the headwaters of the rivers Ilm Lengwitz, free stream and Taubach that flow south of Stuetzerbach at the crest of the mountains, near the Rennsteig. The longest river is the source of the 6.5 km- free stream that originates on the decorations, while the 5.8 km long Lengwitz with source at Allzunah the flow direction with the Ilm has in common and the 3.8 km long Taubach in Ilmbrunnen (also known as Ilmquelle called ) below the Great Finster mountain springs.

Headwaters

The Ilm flows first through the Meyersgrund north to Manebach where they pivoted around to the east and passes through the Manebacher reason to Ilmenau. This first part of the river is relatively unregulated, right and left of Ilm are Auflächen that are flooded at high tide. In Ilmenau the Ilm formed a broader valley in which the town extends to the transition from the Thuringian Forest to his ( Pauli Zellaer ) foreland. Here the Ilm is straightened and moved to a deeply excavated tetes bed. On Grenzhammer east of the city the Schorte opens as a first major tributary. There the Ilm breaks between the Ehrenberg in the north and in the south supporting mountain one last time, the basement of the Thuringian Forest and passes through the Ilm- floodplain from the Ilmenau valley from southeast to Long Meadows. Shortly after Langewiesen the broad valley is spanned by the 1681 meter long Ilmtalbrücke the high-speed line Nuremberg -Erfurt. It is the longest bridge in Thuringia.

After a change of direction towards the northeast increases with the confluence of the Wohl Rose from right to 415.6 m above sea level. NHN 23.7 km flow distance ( inc Lengwitz ) the catchment area of ​​the Ilm of 96.7 km ² to more than 60 % to 157.2 km ². The water uptake from the Thuringian Forest is completed and the outflow increases much more slowly from now on.

Upper middle reaches

In the aligned now to northeast course through the red sandstone of the Pauli Zellaer the foreland Ilm Gräfinau - Angstedt flows with Gräfinau on the left and Angstedt on the right side of the river. There follow Cottendorf left and right Dörnfeld the Ilm and the Singer mountain ( 548 m ) on the right Ilmseite. The river enters the karst and dry limestone formation of the Ilm -Saale- plate, which is dominated by its witnesses mountain Singerberg, but also in their southern heartland right of Ilm reached after all heights up to 548 m ( Large Kalmberg ) and thus the river dominated by about 220 m.

Behind Griesheim is the confluence of the Deube from right in Oberilm Stadtilm District, the fifth largest city in the Ilm valley, reached by a large railway viaduct of the railway line Arnstadt -Saalfeld. In this area until Kleinhettstedt, United Hettstedt and Dienstedt switch open and forested landscapes from. The river loses a lot of water to the karst underground, which came to light in the upper Willinger Spring and Spring Remdaer again. In Dienstedt is beyond a karst cave.

Tannrodaer woodland and valley between Bad Berka and Mellingen

In Kranichfeld the Ilm learns after 54.6 kilometers flow path ( inc Lengwitz ) at an altitude of almost 300 m above sea level. NHN a change in direction from north northeast to east-northeast. Here, the shell of the Ilm -Saale- plate is interrupted by the red sandstone window of Tannrodaer woodland. This window runs up along the brook brooks Krummbach, Tonndorfbach and stone ditch on the left side to the west and Schwarza, dam and creek Klingelbach right side to the east. Between the stream valleys, the wooded sandstone ridge reach heights up to 429 meters ( bird hearth in the East), but are of the shell - edge heights as the Riechheimer mountain ( 513 m ) in the west, to which the terrain in an Escarpment rises abruptly, clearly dominates.

After the confluence of Crooked creek below Kranich field located at the mouths of the valleys of the places Tannroda ( Schwarza ), Munich ( Tonndorfbach ) and Bad Berka ( Klingelbach and Steinengraben ). From Tannroda the Ilm runs again in North direction in which it leaves the Tannrodaer woodland Bad Berka below.

With the re- attainment of the Muschelkalk, the character of the Ilm valley changes significantly. In a canyon -like, tortuous gorge cut through limestone cliffs, the river moves into ostnordöstliche direction over Hetschburg ( mouth of the creek stallion from left), Buchfart and Oettern.

Magdalaer ditch to Weimar

In Mellingen and immediately after crossing through the Federal Highway 4, the Ilm meets the intersection of two major fault zones. The course of the Ilm north-eastwards to Apolda prolonging Apoldaer fault zone meets an obtuse angle to the Magdalaer fault zone coming from Magdala in the southeast. From the latter the Ilm ( inc Lengwitz ) flows 78.3 km flow distance at about 215 m above sea level. NHN from the right to the Magdel whose flow direction she takes in a now considerably broader valley to the northwest; flows from the direction of Apoldaer fault zone, one also from the right, the Lehnstedter Bach.

From Mellingen to Weimar Stadtschloss the Ilm valley is almost universally undeveloped. Below Taubach, Ehringsdorf and Oberweimar the Park an der Ilm, a Unesco World Heritage Classical Weimar begins. Here the river is designed and integrated into the English landscape garden. The Weimar Old town lies on the west bank of the river Ilm, from her open from the left of the Lottenbach and the Asbach one.

With the inflow of Asbach after 88.3 kilometers flow path ( inc Lengwitz ) to about 215 m above sea level. NHN learns of his last major river flow direction change in Richting northeast.

Underflow

From the change of direction in Weimar, the now meandering through an open, barely wooded landscape to the northeast Ilm an edge flow of the Thuringian Basin dar. Right at the beginning of this last section will of another large railway viaduct, which the railway Weimar -Gera crossed.

In Tiefurt behind Weimar is another lock on the Ilm, where she is also integrated into an English landscape garden. It follows Kromsdorf consisting of Großkromsdorf left and right Kleinkromsdorf the Ilm, then Denstedt, Ulrich Half, Oßmannstedt and upper Roßla where the Ilm enters the city of Apolda. The city itself is located behind a hill in the eastern tributary of the Herressener stream that following an acute angle opens the Apoldaer fault zone beneath the city. Nevertheless, the valley of the Ilm is densely populated in this field. There are close to each Niederroßla, Zottelstedt, Mattstedt, Nauen village where the Herressener Bach opens from Jena, Wickerstedt, Flurstedt, Obertrebra, Niedertrebra, Eberstedt and Darnstedt.

The last town in the valley of the Ilm is Bad Sulza, a salt water bath, after which the valley of the Ilm narrows and deep digging into the relief. Due to this situation with their local climate viticulture is possible on the south-east facing slopes. Immediately below the city opens from the left in the Emsenbach by far the largest catchment area draining tributary. The Emsenbach is also the only river in the otherwise quite innerthüringischen river system in the Ilm, which also drains parts of Saxony-Anhalt.

Below Großheringen the Ilm flows by 134 kilometers at an altitude of almost 120 m above sea level. NHN from the left into the Saale, which takes a bow here and follows the direction of the valley of the Ilm to the northeast. Because of their landscape and mild climate the area at the mouth of the river Ilm is referred to as the Thuringian Tuscany. The mouth of the River Ilm in the hall is situated on the border between Thuringia and Saxony- Anhalt, where the Ilm is the longest running exclusively in Thuringia river.

Tributaries

The following table lists the tributaries of the river Ilm are listed, including all with a catchment area of more than 10 km ². Catchment areas without decimal represent estimates, see footnotes; specified lengths correspond to measurements of corresponding Geopfade.

Biology

Ecology

The width of the Ilm is comparatively low. Less than two meters in the upper reaches it grows to only eight to ten meters to reach fifteen meters short of the muzzle. Its depth varies between 10 and 80 centimeters. Due to the geological subsoil, water is rich in nutrients and is in the pH range at seven. Auencharakter and shading by trees hinder the growth of aquatic plants considerably. The river bottom is formed of pebbles of various sizes, rock, partly sand. The average discharge rate of 6 m³ / s can be significantly exceeded during floods. The last devastating Ilmhochwasser found on 14 April 1994 and 1 June, 2013, when it came to strong above-ground drainage after prolonged rainfall. The Ilm burst its banks and flooded large areas of their floodplain and many of the buildings and structures located therein.

Aquatic fauna

In the clear water of the river Ilm grayling, brook and rainbow trout, minnows, gudgeon, loach, Koppen, perch, roach, rudd, chub and eels are occasionally to be found.

Origin of the name

The river name is derived possibly from the Old High German ilme ( elm). However, a vordeutsche origin is considered likely. The name would thus baltic - Celtic origin and would be attributed to the Lithuanian elmes (the liquid that comes from the mouth of the bodies ).

Cultural History

In records of 932 and 956, the area that the upper and middle reaches of the Ilm -flow as Longawici - Gau was later referred to Längwitzgau. He was from the area around Arnstadt with the Käfernburg to the Schwarzatal into it. The term Lengwitzer wall for the south-eastern part of the city wall Arnstädter the memory of this region was obtained. Due to the Germanization from 804, the name Lengwitz changed in Ilm. Only her upper reaches Ilm kept the old ( Slavic ) name Lengwitz.

The first local start-ups in the Ilm Valley have been handed down from the 9th century by the Breviarium Sancti Lulli of Hersfeld Monastery. At that time, first the lower Ilm valley was settled around Jena, occasionally are even places handed down on the middle reaches, about Dienstedt from 842 and Weimar from 899 The colonization of the upper course began in the 11th century ( Griesheim 1089 ), 1198 Long Meadows was first mentioned. By the 13th century the settlement of the Ilm valley was completed, apart from Manebach and Stuetzerbach in the Thuringian Forest.

It is noteworthy that the Ilm to 1945 as a border river shared some localities.

Versatile in times past was the benefits that the residents of the Ilm attracted. Besides fishing, they allowed numerous saw-mills, paper and flour mills, hammer, or stamp mills and pulp mills were operated by them. She also served the tanners, and glass works as a water dispenser. Despite their poverty, the water Ilm was a long -used transport and agricultural road, primarily for timber floating. For this purpose created ponds in Schortetal ( Knöpfelstaler pond ) and the large pond in Stuetzerbach served as reservoirs. The latter was used in addition to protecting against flooding and to supply water for the surcharge Ilmenau mining. Today he no longer existed. Disastrous were the losses at break his dike, which ran right through the town.

In Ilmenau long time there were only two bridges over the river Ilm; the fir bridge in the West ( trade route Erfurt -Nuremberg ) and the Kienrußbrücke in the East ( Oehrenstöcker road). Today there are in the city several dozen bridges across the river.

On May 29, 1613 Ilm was one of the rivers that were affected by the Thuringian Flood. Severe thunderstorms were at that time in many parts of Thuringia within a few hours, the rivers burst their banks and caused great damage thereby. Thus, the water level of the river Ilm rose in the village Zottelstedt at Apolda six to eight meters and destroyed the village along the banks almost completely. Also in Weimar were 44 houses in the flood victim. The last major flood occurred in the spring of 1994 and also affected neighboring rivers like the Gera and the Saale.

In Ilmenau the river bed was moved to lower the groundwater level during the time of mining.

During the years of industrialization emerged on the Ilm, a number of companies that respect both hot water out of it, as well as waste water discharging into it. Among glassworks in Stuetzerbach and Ilmenau, Ilmenau a color factory and agricultural facilities.

Ilmtourismus

Along the entire course of the river Ilm Valley Cycle Route has been created, which offers good conditions for auto traffic free or free - cycling. The bike has the upper reaches of connection to the Rennsteig Cycle Trail and at the mouth of the Saale Cycle Path.

The Ilm in poetry

  • Johann Wolfgang von Goethe / Schiller:
  • Johann Wolfgang von Goethe:
  • Johann Wolfgang von Goethe:
  • Johann Wolfgang von Goethe:

Traffic

The Ilm valley was used as a thoroughfare since the settlement of the region. The two main roads along the Ilm are the federal highway 87 from Ilmenau Apolda to Naumburg and since 1846 the Thuringian railway, which is accompanied by Weimar to its confluence with the Saale the Ilm valley and an important link in the German railway network.

Otherwise, run only short sections of rail lines and highways through the Ilm valley. In the Ilmenau these are the Federal Road 4 of Ilmenau to Stuetzerbach and the federal highway 88 from Ilmenau to Long meadows and parallel to the Rennsteigbahn or the railway line Ilmenau- Großbreitenbach. In space Weimar Ilmbahn between Kranichfeld and Hetschburg and the railway line Weimar -Gera between Weimar and Mellingen run in the valley of the river. Unlike most other major river valleys of Thuringia, the construction of a continuous rail line along the Ilm never materialized because it was cut to the founding of Thuringia in 1920 by numerous national borders and there was no greater with the exception of Weimar town in the valley. Thus, the traffic moved by rail on the two adjacent valleys of Gera in the west and in the east of the Saale.

The valley is crossed by three large railway bridges. The first among them was the 1876, Weimar viaduct (153 meters ) of rail line Weimar -Gera. 1894 followed the Stadtilmer viaduct (201 meters ) of rail line Arnstadt -Saalfeld and between 2007 and 2010 the Ilmtalbrücke the high-speed line Nuremberg - Erfurt at Long Meadows, which is the longest bridge in Thuringia with 1681 meters. Other famous bridges over the Ilm are the star bridge in Weimar ( arches ) and the covered wooden bridge in Buchfart from the year 1613. Federal Highway 4 crosses the Ilm in Mellingen with a 299 meter long and 14 meter high bridge.

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