Bad Gandersheim

Bad Gandersheim
Coat of arms
Bad Gandersheim
Location of Bad Gandersheim within Northeim district
Coordinates: 51°52′19″N 10°1′31″E / 51.87194°N 10.02528°E / 51.87194; 10.02528Coordinates: 51°52′19″N 10°1′31″E / 51.87194°N 10.02528°E / 51.87194; 10.02528
Country	Germany
State	Lower Saxony
District	Northeim
Government
• Mayor	Franziska Schwarz (SPD)
Area
• Total	9.049 km2 (3.494 sq mi)
Elevation	143 m (469 ft)
Population (2015-12-31)
• Total	10,141
• Density	1,100/km2 (2,900/sq mi)
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes	37575–37581
Dialling codes	05382
Vehicle registration	NOM, EIN, GAN
Website	www.bad-gandersheim.de

Bad Gandersheim is a town in southern Lower Saxony, Germany, located in the district of Northeim. As of December 2008^[update], it had a population of 10,572.

Bad Gandersheim has many half-timbered houses and is located on the German Timber-Frame Road (German: Deutsche Fachwerkstraße). The town contains an airport as well.

The town of Bad Gandersheim lies between the Leine Uplands, Weser Uplands, and Harz Foreland in the valley of the Gande River, into which its tributary, the Eterna, empties within the town's territory. To the north lies the Heber Ridge. The borough is predominantly hilly. The Harz Mountains begin about 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) east of the town, and 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) to the west is the Leine Graben (German: Leinegraben).

The borough of Bad Gandersheim consists of the following subdivisions based on the surrounding villages:

The town dates back to 852, when Gandersheim Abbey, a house of secular canonesses, was created in nearby Brunshausen by Liudolf, Duke of Saxony and his wife Oda. The first abbey church (German: Stiftskirche) in the town proper was begun in 856. In 990 the abbey received the market and tax rights. During the 10th century, Gandersheim was one of the most important towns of Saxony; the first German poet Hrosvit lived and worked here until 973. In 1159 Gandersheim was first mentioned as a town.