# Sondershausen

Sondershausen (German pronunciation: ) is a town in Thuringia, central Germany, capital of the Kyffhäuserkreis district, situated about 50 km (30 mi) 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.

## Geography

Sondershausen is situated in North Thuringia and lies in a 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. The town is surrounded by mixed forests, dominated by beech.

### Subdivisions

The city districts are:
| City centre Borntal Hasenholz Östertal | Bebra Berka Großfurra Jecha Jechaburg Stockhausen | Großberndten Himmelsberg Hohenebra Immenrode Kleinberndten Schernberg Straußberg Thalebra |

## Culture and main sights
### Museums

Sondershausen Palace houses a large museum with three different exhibit areas. Special exhibits are the Golden Coach [de], the only one of its kind in Germany, and the legendary bronze figurine Püstrich [de]. 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 (1764–1771). Especially noteworthy are the "Blue Hall" and the gardens.
* The previous 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"
* Main building of the "Geschwister-Scholl-Gymnasium Sondershausen" (a grammar school)
* A mikveh
* "Haus der Kunst" ("House of the Arts") theatre
* Rathaus (city hall)
* Gottschalcksches Haus (House of Gottschalck)

#### 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 (catholic)

## Notable people

* Rudolf Arzinger (1922–1970), expert of public international law
* Felix Becker (1864–1928), art historian
* Regina Miriam Bloch (1888–1938), writer and poet
* Johann Günther Friedrich Cannabich (1777–1859), geographer
* Edmund Döring (1860–1938), German homeland culture ("Heimat") historian
* Ernst Christoph Dressler (1734–1779), composer, operatic tenor, violinist and music theorist
* Ernst Ludwig Gerber (1746–1819), composer, music writer, musician
* Jörg Hoffmann (born 1963), luger, Olympic champion in Calgary 1988
* Thilo Irmisch (1816–1878), botanist
* Günther Jahn (painter) (born 1933), painter
* Michael Kohl (1929–1981), lawyer, East German deputy foreign minister
* Olaf Koch (conductor) (born 1932), director of the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin
* Karl Krieghoff (1905–1984), local poet
* Vera Lengsfeld (born 1952), politician
* Georg Richard Lewin (1820–1896), dermatologist, university professor
* Kurt Lindner (1906–1987), hunting historian
* Valentin Ernst Löscher (1674–1749), theologian, writer
* Günther Lutze (1840–1930), botanist, German homeland culture ("Heimat") historian, chronicler
* Joachim Manard (Manhard, Manardt) (1564–1637), chronicler of the town
* Ludwig Günther Martini (1647–1719), jurist
* Curt Mücke (1885–1940), painter
* Carl Moeller (German pastor) (1867–1920), pastor and German homeland culture ("Heimat") historian
* Hermann Müller (1891–1984), German homeland culture ("Heimat") historian
* Gunda Niemann-Stirnemann (born 1966), speed skater
* Ronald Paris (1933–2021), painter
* Werner Schubert (1921–1991), painter
* Heinz Scharr (born 1924), visual artist
* Ferdinand Schlufter (1871–1948), major
* Volker Strübing (born 1971), book author, cabaret artist and songwriter
* Johann Friedrich Suckow (1769–1842), musician
* Johann Karl Wezel (1747–1819), poet

## Sister cities

Sondershausen is twinned with three cities:
* Rolla, Missouri, United States
* Pecquencourt, France
* Kazlų Rūda, Lithuania