The area around the Orlatal and the Plothener Teiche in Southeast Thuringia encompasses various landscapes within a small space: the Buntsandstein landscape of the Saale Sandstone Plateau, the Zechstein karst landscape of the Orlasenke, and the slate landscape of the Thuringian Slate Mountains and Vogtland. This volume provides a comprehensive documentation and vivid presentation of the natural features and diverse history of this region in the form of a regional study. It emphasizes the development of agriculture and forestry, the utilization of ponds in broader areas, and the industrialization in the cities, while also considering archaeological peculiarities and architectural historical evidence.