Statistics
State:Lower Saxony
Adm. Region:Braunschweig
Capital:Helmstedt
Area:674 km²
Inhabitants:99,100 (2002)
pop. density:147 inh./km²
Car identification:HE
Website:helmstedt.de/
Map

Helmstedt is a district in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is bounded by (from the west and clockwise) the district of Wolfenbüttel, the city of Braunschweig, the district of Gifhorn, the city of Wolfsburg and the state of Saxony-Anhalt (districts of Ohrekreis, Bördekreis and Halberstadt).

Table of contents
1 History
2 Geography
3 Coat of arms
4 Towns and municipalities
5 External links

History

In the Elm limestone was mined in medieval times; limestone from the region was used for the tomb of Henry the Lion as well as for the imperial cathedral of Königslutter. In the Middle Ages Königslutter was among the most wealthy cities of the Holy Roman Empire. In 1576 the university of Helmstedt was founded, which was the largest university of protestant Germany.

The duchy of Brunswick (deriving from Brunswick-Lüneburg) created administrative districts in 1833; the district of Helmstedt was one of those districts.

Geography

The district is bounded by the Elm (a hill chain) in the west and the Lappwald (a riparian forest) in the east. Large parts of the district are part of the Elm-Lappwald Nature Park.

Coat of arms

In the upper part the heraldical horse of Lower Saxony is displayed. In the bottom there are symbols for mining and agriculture.

Towns and municipalities

  1. Helmstedt
  2. Königslutter
  3. Schöningen
    Samtgemeinden
  1. Grasleben
  2. Heeseberg
  3. Nord-Elm
  4. Velpke
    Free municipalities
  1. Büddenstedt
  2. Lehre

External links

Official website (German)