Staßfurt

Infobox Ort in Deutschland
Art = Stadt
image_photo =
Wappen = Wappen Stassfurt.pnglat_deg = 51 |lat_min = 52
lon_deg = 11 |lon_min = 34
Lageplan =
Bundesland = Sachsen-Anhalt
Landkreis = Salzlandkreis
Verwaltungsgemeinschaft = Staßfurt
Höhe = 73
Fläche = 58.21
Einwohner = 22758
Stand = 2006-12-31
PLZ = 39418
Vorwahl = 03925
Kfz = SLK
Gemeindeschlüssel = 15 0 89 310
LOCODE = DE STF
NUTS = DEE0C
Gliederung = 5
Straße = Hohenerxlebener Straße 12
Bürgermeister = Martin Kriesel
Partei = CDU

Staßfurt (IPA2|ˈʃtasfʊʁt) is a town in the Salzlandkreis district, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is situated on both sides of the river Bode, approximately 15 km (10 miles) northeast of Aschersleben, and 30 km (20 miles) south of Magdeburg. Pop. (2005) 23,538.

It was one of the chief seats of the German salt-producing industry. It is still surrounded in part by the ruins of its ancient walls, but, with the exception of the parish church of St. John (15th century), there are no buildings worthy of special notice.

Although saline springs are mentioned here as early as the 13th century, the first attempt to bore for salt was not made until 1839, while the systematic exploitation of the salt-beds, to which the town is indebted for its prosperity, dates only from 1856. The shafts reached deposits of salt at a depth of 850 ft. (190 m); but the finer and purer layers lie more than 100 ft. (31 m) below the surface. The rock-salt is excavated by blasting. Besides the rock-salt, the deposits of Stassfurt yield a considerable quantity of deliquescent salts and other saline products, which have encouraged the foundation of numerous chemical factories in the town and in the neighboring village of Leopoldshall (currently part of Staßfurt). The rock-salt works are mainly government property, while the chemical factories are in private hands.

Staßfurt is the seat of the "Verwaltungsgemeinschaft" ("collective municipality") Staßfurt.