Wisa

Wisa is a municipality in the Saale-Orla-Kreis district in the German state of Thuringia. It lies approximately 15 kilometres southeast of the district capital, Saalfeld, and is situated on the western edge of the Thuringian Forest. The village is built on a gently rolling landscape with an average elevation of 395 metres above sea level, and it is bisected by the small Wisa River, which flows into the Saale.

The earliest documented mention of Wisa dates to 1284, when it appeared in a royal charter as a settlement within the lands of the Bishopric of Eichstätt. Over the centuries the village was part of the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, and later became integrated into the sovereign state of Weimar. During the 19th century, an ironworks and a small limestone quarry were established, forming the backbone of the local economy. In the late 20th century, Wisa was incorporated into the South Thuringian collective municipality of Steinberg an der Straße, and its population peaked at just over 300 residents in 1970. The population has since fallen to roughly 140 inhabitants in 2020, reflecting broader rural depopulation trends in the region.

Today the economy of Wisa is dominated by agriculture and small-scale forestry. A handful of family farms produce cereals, potatoes, and a variety of orchard produce. Tourism is modest but growing; the Thuringian Forest’s network of biking and hiking trails attracts weekend visitors who stay in the village’s guesthouses or use local bed‑and‑breakfast services. Notable sites in Wisa include the 14th‑century St. Michael’s Church, whose historic steeple offers panoramic views of the surrounding hills, and the remnants of a medieval stone bridge over the Wisa River. The village remains an example of the small, historically rich communities that characterize rural Thuringia.