Neighboring districts are Göttingen, Eichsfeld, Unstrut-Hainich-Kreis, Wartburgkreis, district-free Eisenach, Hersfeld-Rotenburg, Schwalm-Eder-Kreis, Kassel.

The Hoher Meissner was also home to US military forces up to the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Soldiers of the Special Forces guarded the eavesdropping post on the hilltop.

The coat of arms show a branch of an ash tree in the dexter side, as sign for the former Eschwege district as well as the Eschwege city - the German word for ash tree is Esche.

The hills below symbolize the landscape, the Meißner, and the wavy line the Werra river.