Osterode am Harz

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For the town in East Prussia formerly called Osterode, see Ostróda.

Osterode am Harz
Old Town Hall
Old Town Hall
Coat of arms of Osterode am Harz
Coat of arms
Location of Osterode am Harz within Göttingen district
Osterode am Harz is located in Germany
Osterode am Harz
Osterode am Harz
Coordinates: 51°43′43″N 10°15′08″E / 51.72861°N 10.25222°E / 51.72861; 10.25222Coordinates: 51°43′43″N 10°15′08″E / 51.72861°N 10.25222°E / 51.72861; 10.25222
CountryGermany
StateLower Saxony
DistrictGöttingen
Government
 • MayorJens Augat (SPD)
Area
 • Total102.46 km2 (39.56 sq mi)
Elevation
220 m (720 ft)
Population
 (2020-12-31)[1]
 • Total21,392
 • Density210/km2 (540/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes
37520
Dialling codes05522
Vehicle registrationGÖ, OHA
Websitewww.osterode.de

Osterode am Harz, often simply called Osterode (German: [ˌɔstəˈʁoːdə] (About this soundlisten)), is a town in south-eastern Niedersachsen on the south-western edge of the Harz mountains. It was the seat of government of the district of Osterode. Osterode is located on the German Timber-Frame Road.

Kornmarkt (grain market)
St Aegidien Church
St Jacobi Church
Castle ruins

Geography[]

Altes Rathaus (former town hall)

Water[]

The Söse river flows through the town from the Söse Dam lake about 5 km upstream. The dam was built in 1931 and has a capacity of 25.5 million m³. The Harzwasserwerke water company pipes drinking water as far away as Bremen.

Districts[]

The following districts (mainly surrounding villages) are part of the borough of Osterode am Harz, with populations in brackets (as of 1 July 2012):[2]

  • Dorste (1,650)
  • Düna (140)
  • Förste (2,000)
  • Freiheit (2,100)
  • Kazenstein (1,200)
  • Lasfelde (1,300)
  • Lerbach (1,000)
  • Marke (150)
  • Nienstedt am Harz (440)
  • Osterode am Harz (11,500)
  • Petershütte (800)
  • Riefensbeek-Kamschlacken (350)
  • Schwiegershausen (1,800)
  • Ührde (100)

Political[]

Local council[]

The Gemeinderat or council of Osterode has 34 members:

  • SPD: 16
  • CDU: 12
  • Grüne: 3
  • FDP: 3

and one Bürgermeister (mayor). (local election on 11 September 2016)

Mayor[]

Jens Augat (SPD) has been Bürgermeister (mayor) of Osterode since 1 November 2019.

Culture and attractions[]

Museums[]

The Museum im Ritterhaus displays documents from Osterode's history from the Middle Ages to the recent past, as well as occasional temporary exhibitions.

The Lichtenstein Cave is an archaeological site near Dorste, in the western part of the municipality. Two inhabitants of the village Nienstedt am Harz, 2 km north of the cave, have the same rare DNA pattern as that found in the skeletal material of a man whose bones were found in the Lichtenstein Cave dating to about 1000 BC.[3]

Architecture[]

In the environs of Osterode there are several castle ruins, and Lichtenstein Castle between Dorste and Förste.

The town granary built between 1719 and 1722 is one of the most imposing buildings, built to supply the mining villages in the Upper Harz with grain. Today after a comprehensive renovation it has become the town hall.

Recreation[]

Osterode is the starting point of the 100 km long Harzer Hexenstieg, a hiking trail to Thale.

Transport[]

The B 243 federal route, built as a divided highway, is the main western link between the northern and southern Harz area. B 241 and B 498 link Solling to the eastern Harz.

Osterode lies on the Herzberg–Seesen railway, with services to Brunswick. In November 2004 the town gained two new stations at a cost of about 1 million Euro, replacing two previous halts and providing a more central access to public transport.[citation needed]

Educational institutions[]

  • Tilman-Riemenschneider-Gymnasium (high school), Osterode am Harz
  • Berufsbildende Schulen I des Landkreises Osterode am Harz
  • Berufsbildende Schulen II
  • Realschule Osterode
  • Hauptschule Neustädter Tor

Twin towns – sister cities[]

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany

Osterode am Harz is twinned with:[4]

Notable people[]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Landesamt für Statistik Niedersachsen, LSN-Online Regionaldatenbank, Tabelle A100001G: Fortschreibung des Bevölkerungsstandes, Stand 31. Dezember 2020.
  2. ^ http://www.osterode.de/leben-in-osterode/ortschaften/ Ortschaften der Stadt Osterode am Harz
  3. ^ ABC News: Two Men Are Related Through Cavemen
  4. ^ "Städtepartnerschaften und Patenschaften". osterode.de (in German). Osterode am Harz. Retrieved 28 February 2021.

External links[]

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