Ilmenau is a town located in the state of Thuringia in central Germany. It serves as the largest town within the Ilm district, which has its administrative capital in Arnstadt. The town currently has a population of approximately 38,600 residents.
Geographically, Ilmenau is situated at an elevation of 500 metres within the Ilm valley. It lies at the northern edge of the Thuringian Forest, positioned roughly 33 km south of Erfurt and 135 km north of Nuremberg.