WERNIGERODE, a town of Prussian Saxony, about 12 miles to the soutli-west of Halberstadt, is picturesquely situated on the Holzemme, on the north slopes of the Harz Mountains. It contains several interesting Gothic buildings, including the fine town-house dating from the 14th century. Some of the quaint old houses which have escaped the numerous fires that have visited the town are elaborately adorned with wood-carving. The gymnasium, occupying a modern Gothic building, is the successor of an ancient grammar-school, which existed until 1825. λVooden articles, cigars, and dye-stuffs are among the manufactures of the place. Above the town rises the chateau of the count of Stolberg-Wernigerode. A pavilion in the park contains the library of 96,000 volumes, the chief feature in which is the collection of over 3000 Bibles and over 3600 volumes on hymnology. The population of Wernigerode in 1885 was 9083; including the immediately adjoining villages of Nöscherode and Hasserode, it was 13,804.

Wernigerode is the chief town of the county (grafschaft) of Stolberg-Wernigerode, which still retains a few shreds of nominal independence, though really an integral part of Prussia since the congress of Vienna. It was originally a free and independent imperial fief, and retains its peculiar national colours. The county has an extent of 107 square miles, with 26,484 inhabitants, and includes the Brocken within its limits.