Wernigerode
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Wernigerode | |
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| Coat of arms | Location |
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| Administration | |
| Country |  Germany |
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| State | Saxony-Anhalt |
| District | Harz |
| Mayor | Peter Gaffert (SPD) |
| Basic statistics | |
| Area | 125.17 km² (48.3 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 240 m (787 ft) |
| Population | 33,871 (31/12/2006) |
| - Density | 271 /km² (701 /sq mi) |
| Other information | |
| Time zone | CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) |
| Licence plate | HZ |
| Postal code | 38855 |
| Area code | 03943 |
| Website | www.wernigerode.de |
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Wernigerode (IPA: [vɛʁnɪgəˈʁoːdə]) is a town in the district of Harz, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Until 2007 it was the capital of the district of Wernigerode.
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[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. The Hasseröder brewery was established in the Hasserode district in 1872.
[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 inner German border.
[edit] Architecture
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 (Gerhart - Hauptmann - Gymnasium - Wernigerode), 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] Sights
The Harzer Schmalspurbahn is a narrow gauge railway that leads from Wernigerode to The Brocken (1141m), the highest peak in the Harz Mountains, and then goes to Nordhausen to the south of the Harz mountains. The second highest peak, Wurmberg (971m), is accessible by cable car from Braunlage which is connected by bus to Wernigerode. Wernigerode has numerous museums, galleries, libraries, monuments and parks.
[edit] Culture
Wernigerode is the home of the Rundfunk-Jugendchor Wernigerode.
[edit] Twin towns
- Neustadt an der Weinstraße, Germany, since 1998
Carpi (Modena) (Italy), since 1964
Cisnădie, (Romania), since 2002
[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.
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