The rural community of Heringen is located on the Helme river in the fertile landscape of the Goldene Aue. The municipality includes the districts of Heringen, Auleben, Uthleben, Hamma and Windehausen. The area has been inhabited for thousands of years - archaeologists have found evidence of the oldest village in Thuringia here, with farmers settling here in the Neolithic period around 7500 years ago. A multimedia exhibition at Heringen Castle informs visitors about life in this settlement. The white castle towers over the Goldene Aue, visible from afar, and is probably the best-known monument in the rural community.

The history of the five districts of Heringen, Auleben, Uthleben, Hamma and Windehausen dates back to the Middle Ages and some of them are more than 1000 years old. The historic buildings include former manors, mills, half-timbered houses and farms. Among the most famous guests are probably Wilhelm von Humboldt and his wife Caroline, who once lived in the family-owned Humboldt Castle in Auleben for some time.

The picturesque landscape of the rural municipality of Heringen/Helme invites guests to relax, hike and cycle. For example, the supra-regional Luther Trail leads through the Goldene Aue. A special attraction for all nature lovers is the nearby Helmestausee near Kelbra, an important bird sanctuary where thousands of cranes rest every year in the fall on their way south. The Kyffhäuser Nature Park, which extends into the Goldene Aue, regularly invites visitors to join expertly guided hikes and crane watching tours.