Ballenstedt
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| Ballenstedt | |
| Coat of arms | Location |
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| Administration | |
| Country |  Germany |
|---|---|
| State | Saxony-Anhalt |
| District | Harz |
| Municipal assoc. | Ballenstedt/Bode-Selke-Aue |
| Mayor | Wolfgang Schneider (FDP) |
| Basic statistics | |
| Area | 57.03 km² (22 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 236 m (774 ft) |
| Population | 7,802 (31/12/2006) |
| - Density | 137 /km² (354 /sq mi) |
| Other information | |
| Time zone | CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) |
| Licence plate | HZ |
| Postal code | 06493 |
| Area code | 039483 |
| Website | www.ballenstedt.de |
Ballenstedt is a town in Germany in the district of Harz, in Saxony-Anhalt. Ballenstedt is the seat of the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft ("collective municipality") Ballenstedt/Bode-Selke-Aue. The German touristic route Straße der Romanik leads through Ballenstedt.
The castle of Ballenstedt was the seat of the Ascanian dynasty of rulers. The most prominent Ascanian, Albert I, inherited the title of Count of Ballenstedt from his father. In the year 1157 he founded the Margraviate of Brandenburg in the year 1157, and declared himself its first Markgraf. Albert I's grave lies in the crypt of the former monastery, later the castle, of Ballenstedt. A monument for Albert is located in the city park.
In the 19th century, Ballenstedt was the summer residence of the Ascanian Dukes of Anhalt-Bernburg, and it became known as a residential town for the well-to-do retired. The former house of painter and author Wilhelm von Kügelgen and the castle are now both museums. The Ballenstedt castle theatre is the oldest theatre in Saxony-Anhalt, and many famous composers appeared there as conductors.
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