The administrative seat and the main town was Erfurt.

The district was established, along with the other 13, on 25 July 1952, substituting the old German states.

After 3 October 1990 it was disestablished following German reunification, becoming again part of the state of Thuringia.

The Bezirk Erfurt bordered the Bezirke of Magdeburg, Halle, Gera and Suhl.

The Bezirk was divided into 15 Kreise: 2 urban districts (Stadtkreise) and 13 rural districts (Landkreise): Media related to Erfurt District (GDR) at Wikimedia Commons