Osterode (district)

Osterode
District

Coat of arms
Country  Germany
State Lower Saxony
Capital Osterode
Area
 • Total 636 km2 (246 sq mi)
Population (31 December 2013)[1]
 • Total 74,367
 • Density 120/km2 (300/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Vehicle registration OHA
Website landkreis-osterode.de

Osterode (German pronunciation: [ɔstəˈʁoːdə]) is a district in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is bounded by (from the southwest and clockwise) the districts of Göttingen, Northeim and Goslar, and by the state of Thuringia (districts of Nordhausen and Eichsfeld).

History

This part of the Harz mountains was ruled by the Welfen dynasty from the 12th century on. Osterode was the centre of the Principality of Brunswick-Grubenhagen, one of many small states within Brunswick-Lüneburg. Later this principality became part of Hanover, which in turn fell to the Kingdom of Prussia in 1866. In 1885 the Prussian administration established districts, among them Osterode.

From 1 November 2016, Osterode will cease to become a separate district and be merged with an enlarged Göttingen.[2]

Geography

More than two thirds of the district's area are occupied by the southwestern part of the Harz mountains, including the southern portion of the Harz National Park.

Coat of arms

The coat of arms displays two heraldic lions. The lion in the upper part is from the arms of Hanover, the lower lion represents the Welfen dynasty.

Towns and municipalities

Towns:

  1. Bad Lauterberg
  2. Bad Sachsa
  3. Herzberg am Harz
  4. Osterode am Harz

Municipalities:

  1. Bad Grund

Unincorporated area

Samtgemeinden
  1. Elbingerode
  2. Hattorf am Harz1
  3. Hörden am Harz
  4. Wulften am Harz
  1. Walkenried1
  2. Wieda
  3. Zorge
1seat of the Samtgemeinde

See also

References

  1. ↑ Landesbetrieb für Statistik und Kommunikationstechnologie Niedersachsen, 102 Bevölkerung - Basis Zensus 2011, Stand 31. Dezember 2013 (Tabelle K1020014)
  2. ↑ "Gebietsänderungsvertrag zwischen den Landkreisen Göttingen und Osterode am Harz" [Treaty between the districts of Göttingen and Osterode am Harz] (PDF) (in German). District of Osterode. 1 February 2014.

External links

Media related to Landkreis Osterode am Harz at Wikimedia Commons

Coordinates: 51°40′N 10°20′E / 51.67°N 10.33°E / 51.67; 10.33

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Saturday, April 02, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.