Sangerhausen () is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, central Germany, capital of the district of Mansfeld-Südharz. It is situated southeast of the Harz, approx. east of Nordhausen, and west of Halle (Saale). About 26,000 people live in Sangerhausen (2020). History Sangerhausen is one of the oldest towns in the historical region of Saxony-Anhalt, being first mentioned in a document created between 780 and 802 in Fulda Abbey. Sangerhausen is mentioned as the tithable place Sangerhus in Friesenfeld in the Hersfeld Tithe Register, created between 881 and 899. It is mentioned in a document of 991 as appertaining to the estates of the emperor, as part of Memleben Abbey. By marriage it passed to the landgrave of Thuringia, and after 1056 it formed for a while an independent country. Having been again part of Thuringia, it fell in 1249 to Meissen, and in 1291 to Brandenburg. In 1372 it passed to the Electorate of Saxony and formed a portion of that territory until 1815, when it became a part of the Prussian Province of Saxony. Historical population * After annexation of neighboring districts ** Population of Sangerhausen town in brackets Municipality The municipality of Sangerhausen currently consists of 15 divisions, also called (in German) Ortschafte. These are: Breitenbach Gonna Grillenberg Großleinungen Horla Lengefeld Morungen Oberröblingen Obersdorf Riestedt Rotha Sangerhausen Wettelrode Wippra Wolfsberg In 1994, the town of Sangerhausen, at that time still an independent municipality, became part of the so-called Verwaltungsgemeinschaft Sangerhausen, a municipal association consisting of Sangerhausen itself and the two villages/municipalities Edersleben and Oberröblingen. On 29 April 2000 Edersleben left for the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft Helme. On 1 January 2005 the municipalities Gonna, Grillenberg, Horla, Lengefeld, Morungen, Obersdorf, Pölsfeld, Rotha and Wettelrode joined the association from the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft Südharz which was dissolved. Six months later, on 3 July 2005 Pölsfeld left for the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft Allstedt-Kaltenborn. On 1 October 2005 the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft Sangerhausen, consisting then of 10 municipalities was dissolved and turned into the single town/municipality Sangerhausen; which meant that the 9 villages were truly annexed. On the same date Breitenbach, Großleinungen and Wolfsberg also joined, coming from the municipal association Roßla-Südharz. On 1 December 2005 Riestedt followed, coming from the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft Allstedt-Kaltenborn. Finally, Wippra was incorporated on 1 January 2008, coming from the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft Wipper-Eine. Main sights Old Town Hall, erected in 1431–1437 after a previous edifice burned down in 1358 Church of St. Mary (Marienkirche), built in 1350 in Gothic style