SCHMALKALDEN, a town of electoral Hesse, in the province and 34 miles E.N.E. of Fulda, among the Thuringian Mountains, at the confluence of the Schmalkalde and Stille. It is an ancient town, still encircled by its walls and moat, and containing antique wooden houses, with lofty carved gables. Their lower portions are almost all smiths' shops, as the inhabitants for the most part are of that occupation. The chief buildings are a large Gothic church and two castles. One of the inns is the place where the celebrated Schmalkalder League was formed by the Protestant princes in 1531, and the house is shown where the articles were drawn up. There is also a town-hall, hospital, schools, &c. The chief productions of the place are iron, steel, and cutlery; for not only the town, but the whole valley may almost be considered as one great smithy. Pop. 5500.