Sondershausen


Sondershausen is a town in Thuringia, central Germany, capital of the Kyffhäuserkreis district, situated about 50 km north of Erfurt. On 1 December 2007, the former municipality Schernberg was merged with Sondershausen.
Until 1918 it was part of the principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen.
WWW sondershausen.de

Geography

Sondershausen is situated in North Thuringia and lies in a low mountain range between Hainleite and Windleite. The highest mountain is the Frauenberg to the west of the town. A little river called Wipper flows through Sondershausen. The town is surrounded by mixed forests, dominated by beech.

Subdivisions

The city districts are:

Culture and main sights

Museums

Sondershausen Palace houses a large museum with three different exhibit areas. Special exhibits are the only one of its kind in Germany, and the legendary bronze figurine There are special guided tours of the palace's storage depot, cellar, tower, and park.
Other places of interest include a former mine under the city, and a Jewish bath from the 14th century.

Buildings

  • Sondershausen Palace, with natural history and antiquarian collections. Built as a palace during the Renaissance, expanding from an earlier fort, it was later expanded further in a Baroque style. Especially noteworthy are the "Blue Hall" and the gardens.
  • The previous Princes' Palace, a residence of the princes from 1835 to 1851. It currently houses the district administration office of the Kyffhäuserkreis.
  • The "Octagonal House"
  • "Alte Wache"
  • Main building of the "Geschwister-Scholl-Gymnasium Sondershausen"
  • A mikveh
  • "Haus der Kunst" theatre
  • Rathaus
  • Gottschalcksches Haus

Churches

  • The Baroque Trinitatiskirche, a Lutheran church with a mausoleum containing the graves of the last members of the princely family
  • Crucis Church, the oldest building in Sondershausen
  • St. Matthias Church, a historical structure considered one of the most beautiful churches in the region
  • St. Petri Church in Jechaburg
  • St. Georg Church in Bebra
  • St. Viti Church in Berka
  • St. Bonifatius Church in Großfurra
  • St. Johannis Church in Oberspier
  • Church of Großberndten
  • Church St. Mauritii in Himmelsberg
  • Church Gloria Deo in Hohenebra
  • Church of Immenrode
  • Church St. Johannes in Kleinberndten
  • St. Crucis Church in Schernberg
  • Church of Thalebra
  • St. Elisabeth Church

Notable people

Sister cities

Sondershausen is twinned with three cities: