The Kyffhäuserkreis is a district in the northern part of Thuringia, Germany. Neighboring districts are the districts Mansfeld-Südharz, Saalekreis and Burgenlandkreis in Saxony-Anhalt, and the districts Sömmerda, Unstrut-Hainich-Kreis and Eichsfeld.
History In the 12th century there was a castle, the Kyffhausen Castle, on the Kyffhäuser mountains, which was built during the reign of emperor Frederick I. According to the local legend, the emperor did not die, but instead went to sleep in this castle.
From 1579 on the region belonged to Saxony, and after 1815 it was divided between the Prussian Province of Saxony and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen.
In 1952 the two districts of Artern (district) and Sondershausen were established. These districts were merged in 1994, with only a few municipalities joining other districts.
Historical Population Values as of 31 December: 1994: 98,785 1995: 98,144 1996: 97,499 1997: 96,749 1998: 96,135 1999: 95,290 2000: 94,343 2001: 92,983 2002: 91,940 2003: 90,758 2004: 89,517 2005: 88,307 2006: 87,058 2007: 85,362 2008: 83,835 2009: 82,650 2010: 81,449 2011: 80,471 2012: 78,618 2013: 77,656 2014: 77,148 2015: 77,110 2016: 76,685 2017: 75,009 Data source since 1994: Thuringian State Statistical Bureau
Partnerships The district has a partnership with the district Ahrweiler in Rhineland-Palatinate, which was initially established with the district Artern in 1990.
Geography The district is named after the Kyffhäuser mountains. The main river is the Unstrut, which flows through the east of the district.
Coat of arms The main symbol of the coat of arms is the lion of the counts of Schwarzburg, who historically ruled most of the district. The lion holds a shield which contains the coat of arms of the Counts of Mansfeld, who owned the area around Artern in the 18th century. The three green hills in the bottom symbolize the mountainous landscape with many forests, the big wavy line stands for the river Unstrut, the small one for the Wipper river.
Towns and municipalities
!Verwaltungsgemeinschaft-free towns !colspan=2|and municipalities |- |valign=top| An der Schmücke Artern Bad Frankenhausen Ebeleben Greußen Roßleben-Wiehe Sondershausen |valign=top| Abtsbessingen Bellstedt Borxleben Etzleben Freienbessingen Gehofen Helbedündorf |valign=top| Holzsußra Kalbsrieth Kyffhäuserland Mönchpfiffel-Nikolausrieth Oberheldrungen Reinsdorf Rockstedt |} Verwaltungsgemeinschaft1. Greußen[seat: Greußen] Clingen2 Niederbösa Oberbösa Topfstedt Trebra Wasserthaleben Westgreußen1seat of the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft;2town Further information on the former Verwaltungsgemeinschaft: Kyffhäuser
References
External links Official website (German) Touristic website (English, German)