Melsungen () is a small climatic spa town in the Schwalm-Eder district in northern Hesse, Germany. In 1987, the town hosted the 27th Hessentag state festival. Geography Melsungen lies on the river Fulda in the North Hesse Highlands. The streams Pfieffe and Kehrenbach, flow into the Fulda in the town. A few kilometres downstream, the river Eder flows into the Fulda. Location The nearest large towns are Kassel (downstream, about 22 km to the north) and Bad Hersfeld (upstream, about 32 km to the southeast). Constituent communities Melsungen comprises several smaller communities. In addition to the main community, which is also called Melsungen, there are seven communities named Adelshausen, Günsterode, Kehrenbach, Kirchhof, Obermelsungen, Röhrenfurth and Schwarzenberg. History Historical records of the town date from 802, but it was likely settled much earlier, during the Hallstatt period (9th to 4th Centuries BCE). Middle Ages Melsungen had developed into a small town (burgus) by 1189. The town's coat of arms also originated at this time. In the course of its history, Melsungen often changed hands. The fiercest fighting over the town was between the Archbishops of Mainz and the Landgraves of Hesse and Thuringia. Melsungen achieved its importance from its location at the crossroads of three mediaeval trade routes, the Sälzerweg, running east–west; the Nürnberger Straße, running north–south; and Durch die langen Hessen (roughly translated "Through the Long Hesse"). Modern Age In 1554, a fire destroyed parts of the heart of town. In 1637, during the Thirty Years' War, the constituent community of Günsterode was laid waste. From 1821 to 1974, Melsungen was an administrative centre and an independent district seat, until the Melsungen district was combined with the neighbouring Fritzlar-Homberg and Ziegenhain districts. The town's 14,000 or so inhabitants call themselves Bartenwetzer ("Axe whetters"). Coat of arms The old seal and today's civic coat of arms have their roots in the late 12th century. Heraldically, the arms might be described thus: In azure a town gate and tower argent – with roof gules surmounted by two finials or – flanked by crenellated town walls argent. The town's official blazon describes the roof as "tile-red" – not truly "gules" (i.e. red). The arms can be traced back to 1577. Politics Town council consists of 37 members. Following the municipal elections held on 26 March 2006, the seats were apportioned thus: The town executive consists of six councillors and the mayor. Four of