Schmücke

The Schmücke, also called the Kahle Schmücke, is a hill ridge up to and only about 7 km² in area. It lies within the districts of Kyffhäuserkreis and Sömmerda in the German state of Thuringia.

Geography
Together with the Hohe Schrecke, the Finne and the Hainleite, the Schmücke borders the northern rim of the Thuringian Basin. It lies between Hauteroda, Oberheldrungen, Heldrungen, Heldrungen station, Gorsleben and Hemleben. It is separated from the Hainleite in the west by the Sachsenburg Gate (Sachsenburger Pforte).

Hills
The hills of the Schmücke include the following, sorted by height in metres (m) above NHN: → for these and other mountains and elevations see the Schmücke section of the article "List of mountains and hills in Thuringia"
 * Künzelsberg (380.1 m), between Hauteroda and Beichlingen, Kyffhäuserkreis/Sömmerda district
 * Monraburg (377.0 m), near Burgwenden, Sömmerda district
 * Wendenburg (353.8 m), near Burgwenden, Sömmerda district

The surface of much of the Schmücke is fissured by ancient quarries.

Transport
In 2008, the 1,729 m long Schmücke Tunnel was built to take the A71 motorway under the Schmücke.

Conservation
On 30 April 2013, the western part of the Schmücke south of Heldrungen together with the adjacent forests and southern slopes was designated a nature conservation. This also includes parts of the municipalities of Heldrungen, Oberheldrungen, Gorsleben and Hemleben. The nature reserve has an area of around 550 hectares.

The landscape is characterized by a patchwork of dry grassland, chalk heathland, pastureland, clearance cairns, shrubs, orchards, forests and arable fields. Medieval mining pits stretch along the ridge of the ridge. The size and diversity of the various heat- and dry-loving biotopes as well as their rarity provide habitats for a large number of animals and plants that have adapted to these dry conditions, which is particularly important for inter alia wild bees, grasshoppers and butterflies. In winter, western barbastelles find shelter here, which is why the area is currently considered the largest known hibernation roost for this species of bat in Thuringia.

Day trippers and hikers prefer the Schmücke because of its beauty and the extraordinary views over the Thuringian Basin. Hiking and cycling on the existing paths as well as horse riding on marked bridleways are popular activities. The area is also used by farmers, foresters and hunters.