Goslar (district)

Goslar (German pronunciation: [ˈɡɔslaʁ]) is a district in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is bounded by (from the south and clockwise) the districts of Göttingen, Northeim, Hildesheim and Wolfenbüttel, the city of Salzgitter, and by the states of Saxony-Anhalt (district of Harz) and Thuringia (Nordhausen).

Goslar
Flag of Goslar
Coat of arms of Goslar
CountryGermany
StateLower Saxony
CapitalGoslar
Area
  Total965.07 km2 (372.62 sq mi)
Population
 (31 December 2021)[1]
  Total134,050
  Density140/km2 (360/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
  Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Vehicle registrationGS
Websitewww.landkreis-goslar.de

History

The history of the district is linked with the city of Goslar. The district of Goslar was established in the 19th century by the Prussian government. The city of Goslar did not belong to the district until 1972, when it was eventually incorporated into the district. Langelsheim merged 1 November 2021 with the three municipalities of the Samtgemeinde Lutter am Barenberge, which was abolished.[2]

Geography

The region comprises the northwestern part of the Harz mountains. The Harz National Park is part of this district. The highest peak is the Wurmberg (971 m) near Braunlage, also being the highest elevation of Lower Saxony. Above the small town of Altenau there is the source of the Oker river, which runs through the picturesque Oker valley to leave the Harz at Vienenburg.

Coat of arms

The eagle is the heraldic animal of the city of Goslar, while the lion symbolises the municipality of Schladen. Schladen is not part of the district, but the lords of Schladen ruled over major parts of the district in the early Middle Ages.

Towns and municipalities

The district of Goslar consists of the following towns and municipalities:[3]

Clickable map of towns and municipalities in the district
Towns Free municipalities
  1. Bad Harzburg
  2. Braunlage
  3. Clausthal-Zellerfeld
  4. Goslar
  5. Langelsheim
  6. Seesen
  1. Liebenburg

Transport

Road

Several federal highways cross the rural district of Goslar. These include the B 4, B 6, B 6n, B 82, B 241, B 242 and B 498. The district roads (Kreisstraßen) are:

No.Route
K1 B 82 (AS Langelsheim-Ost) - Langelsheim - Jerstedt - Hahndorf - Sudmerberg
K2Othfresen - Heißum - Dörnten - K1
K3 B 6 - Dörnten - K32
K4 K34 (SZ) - Upen - L500
K11Klein Mahner - L510
K12 K29 (SZ) - Klein Mahner - Liebenburg
K22 K86 (WF) - Lengde - K34
K27Vienenburg - Lochtum - K1336 (HZ)
K29Ostharingen - Kunigunde
K30Lochtum - Bettingerode - Bündheim
K32 K1 - Goslar
K34Lengde - Wiedelah - Vienenburg - B 6
K35Langelsheim - Wolfshagen im Harz - Lautenthal
K36 L516 - Hahnenklee
K37Zellerfeld - B 242
K38Clausthal - Altenau
K42Westerode - Bad Harzburg
K43Westerode - K46
K46Harlingerode - Bettingerode - L501
K53 K58 - Bornhausen - B 248
K55Langelsheim - Astfeld
K56 K58 - Seesen
K57Seesen - Engelade - B 243/ B 248
K58 K331 (HI) - Rhüden - Bilderlahe - Engelade - Herrhausen
K59Münchehof - Fürstenhagen
K61Seesen - B 248
K62 B 64 - Ildehausen
K63 K55 - K35
K65Münchehof - K21 ()
K66 K58 - Mechtshausen
K68 B 4/ B 242 (AS Braunlage-Nord) - Braunlage
K70Oker - Harlingerode - Schlewecke - Bündheim
K71 L517 - Schulenberg im Oberharz - L517
Rail

The territory of the present rural district was joined to the railway network via the Brunswick–Bad Harzburg railway as early as 1840. In 1856 the Brunswick–Kreiensen railway via Seesen was built and, in 1866, the Vienenburg–Goslar railway followed; both branching off the original line. In 1875, the Hildesheim–Goslar railway and the former Halberstadt–Vienenburg railway (to 1945, today it has a new route along the Heudeber-Danstedt–Vienenburg railway) formed part of the link from Hanover via the North Harz to Halle (Saale). Later the lines from Seesen to Herzberg, Seesen to Goslar and Goslar to Bad Harzburg were added.

The railway line via Clausthal-Zellerfeld to Altenau (Innerste Valley Railway) and the railway branches to Braunlage (South Harz Railway) and St. Andreasberg (Oder Valley Railway) have since been dismantled. Even the Derneburg–Seesen branch line is out of service. The former route from Halberstadt via Wasserleben, Vienenburg and Grauhof to Langelsheim served east–west through trains until 1945 but has also since disappeared.

Scheduled buses

Following the widespread closure of railways in the Harz the schedule bus services have gained great importance.

References

Media related to Landkreis Goslar at Wikimedia Commons

51°54′38″N 10°25′16″E

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