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.
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 (especially with beech trees).
The city districts are:
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.
Sondershausen Palace, with natural history and antiquarian collections. Adapted as Palace in Renaissance times, it was later expanded in Baroque forms (1764–1771). Especially noteworthy are the "Blue Hall" and the gardens.The Old Princes' Palace (1721–1725), a residence of the princes from 1835 to 1851. It currently houses the district administration office of the Kyffhäuserkreis.The Octagonal House"Alte Wache""Geschwister-Scholl-Gymnasium Sondershausen" building I. (a grammar school)mikvehtheatre "Haus der Kunst" (translated: "house of art")Rathaus (city hall)Gottschalcksches Haus (House of Gottschalck)The Baroque Trinitatiskirche, a Lutheran church, with the mausoleum (1892) of the reigning princes.Crucis Church, the oldest building of Sondershausen.St. Matthias Church, the historicist construction is considered as one of the most beautiful churches in the regionSt. Petri Church in JechaburgSt. Georg Church in BebraSt. Viti Church in BerkaSt. Bonifatius Church in GroßfurraSt. JohannisChurch in OberspierChurch of GroßberndtenChurch St. Mauritii in HimmelsbergChurch Gloria Deo in HohenebraChurch of ImmenrodeChurch St. Johannes in KleinberndtenSt. Crucis Church in SchernbergChurch of ThalebraSt. Elisabeth Church (catholic)Sons and daughters of the city
Joachim Manard (Manhard, Manardt) (1564–1637), chronicler of the townLudwig Günther Martini (1647–1719), juristValentin Ernst Löscher (1674–1749), theologian, writerErnst Ludwig Gerber (1746–1819), composer, music writer, musicianJohann Karl Wezel (1747–1819), poetJohann Friedrich Suckow (1769–1842), musicianJohann Günther Friedrich Cannabich (1777–1859), geographerRudolf Arzinger, (1922–1970), public international lawFelix Becker (1864–1928), art historianThilo Irmisch (1816–1878), botanistGeorg Lewin (1820–1896), Dermatology, Faculty (university)Günther Lutze (1840–1930), botanist, Heimatforscher, chroniclerEdmund Döring (1860–1938), HeimatforscherCarl Moeller (1867–1920), pastor and HeimatforscherFerdinand Schlufter (1871–1948), MajorCurt Mücke (1885–1940), PainterRegina Miriam Bloch (1888–1938), writer and poetHermann Müller (1891–1984), HeimatforscherKarl Krieghoff (1905–1984), local poetKurt Lindner (1906–1987), Science of HuntingWerner Schubert (1921–1991), PainterMichael Kohl (1929–1981), Jurist, stellv. Außenminister der DDROlaf Koch (born 1932), Rector of the High School for Music in BerlinHeinz Scharr (born 1924), Visual artsGünther Jahn (born 1933), PainterRonald Paris (born 1933), PainterGeorg Richard LewinVera Lengsfeld (born 1952), politicianJörg Hoffmann (born 1963), Rennrodler, Olympiasieger von 1988 in CalgaryGunda Niemann-Stirnemann (born 1966), Speed skatingVolker Strübing (born 1971), book author, cabaret artist and songwriterSondershausen is twinned with three cities:
Rolla, United States Pecquencourt, France Kazlų Rūda, Lithuania
