Kirchheim unter Teck (Swabian: Kircha) is a town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, in the district of Esslingen. It is located on the small river Lauter, a tributary of the Neckar. It is 10 km (6 miles) near the Teck castle, approximately 35 km southeast of Stuttgart. It is the fourth city in the Esslingen district, forming a district centre for the surrounding communities.
Since 1 April 1956, Kirchheim unter Teck has the status of Große Kreisstadt. The city forms a Verwaltungsgemeinschaft (administrative community) with the neighbouring municipalities Dettingen and Notzingen. Kirchheim unter Teck was also, for several centuries, seat of the Oberamt (Oa.) Kirchheim.
Kirchheim unter Teck is located in the foothills of the central Swabian Alb, north of the Albtrauf escarpment and its foothills: the Teckberg, Breitenstein and Limburg. It is situated in the Lauter valley, at the confluence of the Lindach and several tributary streams with the Lauter. The Lauter itself arrives at the south side of the city, coming from Dettingen unter Teck, then flowing through the city center (to the right of the old town), then turning north west, flowing through the district of Ötlingen and then leaving the city towards Wendlingen am Neckar, where it flows into the Neckar.
