The former municipality Crispendorf was merged into Schleiz in January 2019, and Burgk in December 2019.

The city is located in a valley with the river Wisenta near the motorway A 9 (Berlin – München).

[citation needed] There was a settlement of the Teutonic Order here, and for some years previous to 1848 the town was the capital of the small principality of Reuss-Schleiz.

During World War II hundreds of women and men from several nations, including the Soviet Union were transported to Schleiz as forced laborers.

[4] Trend of population figures: 1834 — 1995 1996 — 2002 2003 — 2009 Schleiz is also the site of the Schleizer Triangle motor racing track.