Wernigerode

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Wernigerode


Country	Germany
State	Saxony-Anhalt
District	Wernigerode
Population	34,209 (2005)
Area	125.16 km²
Population density	273 /km²
Elevation	281 m
Coordinates	51°50′ N 10°47′ E
Postal code	38855
Area code	03943
Licence plate code	WR
Mayor	Ludwig Hoffmann (SPD)
Website	wernigerode.de

Wernigerode is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Wernigerode.

1 History
2 Geography and demographics
3 Architechture
4 Places of interest
5 References

[edit] History

The counts of Wernigerode, who can be traced back to the early 12th century, were successively vassals of the margraves of Brandenburg (1268), and the archbishops of Magdeburg (1381). When the family died out in 1429 the county fell to the counts of Stolberg, who founded the Stolberg-Wernigerode branch in 1645. The latter surrendered its military and fiscal independence to Prussia in 1714, but retained some of its sovereign rights till 1876. The counts of Stolberg-Wernigerode were raised to princely rank in 1890.

[edit] Geography and demographics

It is located southwest of Halberstadt, and is picturesquely situated on the Holtemme river, on the north slopes of the Harz Mountains. Population (1999): 35,500. During the GDR period, it was very close to the border between East and West Germany.

Wernigerode Castle

[edit] Architechture

It contains several interesting Gothic buildings, including a fine town hall with a timber facade of 1498. Some of the quaint old houses which have escaped the numerous fires that have visited the town are elaborately adorned with wood-carving. The Gerhart-Hauptmann-Gymnasium, occupying a modern Gothic building, is the successor of an ancient grammar-school, which existed until 1825. Brandy, Hassserode Lager, cigars and dyes are among the products manufactured in Wernigerode. Above the town rises the castle (Schloss Wernigerode) of the prince Stolberg-Wernigerode; the original was built in the 12th century. The present castle was built between 1862 and 1893 by K. Fruhling and includes parts of the medieval building.

[edit] Places of interest

There is a narrow gauge railway, the Harzer Schmalspurbahn, that leads from Wernigerode both to The Brocken (1141m), the highest peak in the Harz Mountains, and onward through to Nordhausen to the south of the Harz mountains. The second highest peak, the Wurmberg (971m), is accessible by cable car from Braunlage which is connected by bus to Wernigerode.

[edit] References

This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
http://www.harzteam.de/ - City Wernigerode in the Harz
Municipal site with details of local history booklets esp. history of Lebensborn and 20th Century Germany.