Iéna

Iéna is the French and Portuguese name for the German city of Jena, located in the state of Thuringia in central Germany.

Lying in the Saale valley near the Thuringian Forest, Jena is one of Thuringia’s larger cities and a long-standing university town.

The city is home to Friedrich Schiller University Jena, founded in 1558, which gives Jena a long tradition in science, humanities and research. Since the 19th century it became renowned for optics and precision engineering, with Carl Zeiss, Ernst Abbe and Schott associated with the city.

Historically, the surrounding region is remembered for the Battle of Jena–Auerstadt in 1806, when Napoleon Bonaparte defeated Prussia and reshaped central European politics.

Today Iéna retains a strong scientific and cultural profile, with institutions such as the Optical Museum and the Zeiss Planetarium, as well as research campuses and a university library.

Administratively, Jena is a kreisfreie Stadt (independent city) in Thuringia and serves as a regional educational and cultural hub. It is connected by rail and road to other major German cities.