Jena Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Jena

Jena Market Square

Coat of arms

Country

Elevation

155 m (509 ft)

Population

(2022-12-31)

• Total

111,191

CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)

07701 – 07751

03641

Website

www.jena.de

Jena is a cool German city known for its universities. It's the second biggest city in Thuringia, a state in Germany. Jena, along with nearby cities like Erfurt and Weimar, forms a large area where about 500,000 people live. Jena itself has about 110,000 residents.

Jena is a very important place for learning and research. The Friedrich Schiller University started way back in 1558. Today, it has 21,000 students! Another school, the Ernst-Abbe-Fachhochschule Jena, has 5,000 students. Many top German research groups also have institutes here.

The Jen Tower is a symbol of East Germany's economy

Jena was first mentioned in history in 1182. For a long time, it was a small town. But in the 1800s, industries started to grow. For most of the 1900s, Jena was famous worldwide for making optical products. This means things like lenses, cameras, and microscopes. Jena is one of the few medium-sized German cities with tall buildings in its center, like the Jen Tower.

The city's economy today relies on high-tech industries and research. Making optical and precision (very accurate) products is still a main business. But other areas are growing fast too. These include software, digital businesses, and biotechnology (using living things to make products). Jena also serves as a service center for the towns around it.

Jena is located in a hilly area in eastern Thuringia. It sits in the wide valley of the Saale river.

Cool Places to See in Jena

Jena has many interesting places to visit. Here are some of the main sights:

The Town Hall (called "Rathaus") was built in the 1200s. It has a special clock with a moving figure called the "Snatching Hans" ("Schnapphans").
The St. Michael's Church ("Michaelskirche") is a beautiful Gothic church finished in 1506. Inside, you can find a bronze slab from Martin Luther's tomb.
A large monument to John Frederick the Magnanimous stands in the Market Square. It was built between 1905 and 1908.
You can still see many towers from the old medieval walls that once protected the city. One of these is the Powder Tower, built in the 1200s or 1300s.
Visit the House of Friedrich Schiller and his Wedding Church. Schiller was a famous German writer.
The Botanischer Garten Jena is a botanical garden that started in 1580. It's the second oldest botanical garden in all of Germany!
The Jen-Tower is a tall research building. It was built when Germany was divided into East and West. On the 27th floor, there's a restaurant and a viewing platform where you can see great views of the city.

Near Jena, you can also explore the Dornburg Castles and the Kapellendorf Moated Castle.

Images for kids

Lobdeburg Castle above Lobeda district
Jena in 1650
The battle of Jena in 1806
Bau 15 of the Carl Zeiss factory, Germany's first high-rise building, established in 1915
The Eichplatz in the city centre
Typical street scenery in Jena: The "Holzmarkt" in the city-centre
The medieval bridge across the Saale in Burgau district
Paradies station
A tram near Jena Paradies Station
University of Jena
University Library
Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld in 1942.
Optisches Museum
Phyletisches Museum
Stadtmuseum
Romantikerhaus
Schillers Gartenhaus
Botanischer Garten
Museum 1806 in Cospeda
Main church St. Michael
St. John's Church
Peace Church
Schiller Church
Church of Lobeda
Church of Vierzehnheiligen
Church of Ziegenhain
Johannistor, medieval city gate
Town hall
Planetarium
University Main Building
Ernst Abbe Monument
Pulverturm at night
Jen Tower

Jena facts for kids

Cool Places to See in Jena

Images for kids

See also