The town of Schmölln, which has a population of around 11,000, is located in the west of the district. It was first mentioned in documents as "Zmulna" in 1066 by Emperor Henry IV, while the town charter was granted between 1334 and 1338. The Gothic town hall and the town church of St. Nikolai are buildings of cultural and historical interest. The favorable rail connections to large parts of Thuringia and Saxony as well as the immediate proximity to the A4 freeway have made the town attractive to many investors in recent years. The three industrial and commercial areas that have been developed and almost completely built on in recent years have excellent transport links and give rise to justified hopes for further positive economic development. Traditional sectors such as the food and luxury food industry, metal processing and plastics technology are now located in the industrial estates. Various companies for the automotive supply industry also produce here.

Numerous reconstructed houses, newly built residential areas, hotels, the Sparkasse competence center, the expansion of commercial facilities in all parts of the city, the community and club house, but above all the "Ostthüringenhalle" as a multi-purpose hall for sports and cultural events have significantly changed the cityscape in recent years.

At the newly designed town park - below the Pfefferberg with its observation tower - the button and regional museum, housed in an old half-timbered building, offers extensive information about the button industry, which was so important for the town and once made Schmölln the "button town".

The annual Pfefferberg Festival is as much a tradition of this town as the famous Schmöllner Mutzbraten.

Districts of Schmölln:

Altkirchen, Bohra, Brandrübel, Braunshain, Burkersdorf, Dobra, Drogen, Gimmel, Gödissa, Göldchen, Graicha, Großbraunshain, Großstöbnitz, Großtauschwitz, Hartha, Hartroda, Illsitz, Jauern, Kakau, Kleinmückern, Kleintauscha, Kleintauschwitz, Kratschütz, Kummer, Lohma, Lumpzig, Mohlis, Nitzschka, Nöbden, Nöbdenitz, Nödenitzsch, Papiermühle, Platschütz, Prehna, Röthenitz, Schloßig, Selka, Sommeritz, Trebula, Untschen, Weißbach, Wildenbörten, Zagkwitz, Zschernitzsch