Sondershausen

Sondershausen

Coat of arms
Sondershausen

Coordinates: 51°22′N 10°52′E / 51.367°N 10.867°ECoordinates: 51°22′N 10°52′E / 51.367°N 10.867°E
Country Germany
State Thuringia
District Kyffhäuserkreis
Government
  Mayor Joachim Kreyer (CDU)
Area
  Total 114.36 km2 (44.15 sq mi)
Population (2013-12-31)[1]
  Total 21,907
  Density 190/km2 (500/sq mi)
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes 99701–99706
Dialling codes 03632
Vehicle registration KYF, ART, SDH
Website www.sondershausen.de

Sondershausen is a town in Thuringia, Germany, capital of the Kyffhäuserkreis district, situated about 50 km north of Erfurt. On 1 December 2007, the former municipality Schernberg was incorporated by Sondershausen.

Until 1918 it was part of the principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen.

marketplace with "Alte Wache" and castle
look over the marketplace
look over the town, Stockhausen
Palace
St. Matthias Church in Stockhausen

Geography

Sondershausen is situated in North Thuringia and lies in low mountain range between Hainleite (in the north) and Windleite (in the south). The highest mountain is the Frauenberg to the west of the town. A little river called Wipper flows through Sondershausen. Around the town there are mixed forests (especial with beeches).

Subdivisions

The city districts are:

  • City centre
  • Borntal
  • Hasenholz
  • Östertal
  • Großberndten
  • Himmelsberg
  • Hohenebra
  • Immenrode
  • Kleinberndten
  • Schernberg
  • Straußberg
  • Thalebra

Culture and main sights

Museums

In the Sondershausen Palace there is a large museum with three different exhibit areas. Special exhibits are the Golden Coach, the only of its kind in Germany, and the legendary Püstrich. There are possible special guided tours of demonstrationdepot, cellar, tower and park of the castle, too.

Under the city there is a mine to visit.

To visit is a Jewish bath from the 14th Century since 1999 under the gallery on the Schlossberg.

Buildings

Churches

Sons and daughters of the city

Sister cities

Sondershausen is twinned with three cities:[2]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sondershausen.
  1. "Bevölkerung der Gemeinden, erfüllenden Gemeinden und Verwaltungsgemeinschaften nach Geschlecht in Thüringen". Thüringer Landesamt für Statistik (in German). 13 July 2013.
  2. "Partnerstädte". Sondershausen. Retrieved 4 May 2014.