Gloggnitz
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Gloggnitz | |
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| Coat of arms | Location |
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| Administration | |
| Country |  Austria |
|---|---|
| State | Lower Austria |
| District | Neunkirchen |
| Mayor | Werner Müllner |
| Basic statistics | |
| Area | 5.19 km² (2 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 498 m (1634 ft) |
| Population | 6,159 (15/06/2008) |
| - Density | 1,187 /km² (3,074 /sq mi) |
| Other information | |
| Time zone | CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) |
| Postal code | 2640 |
| Area code | 02662 |
| Website | www.gloggnitz.at |
Gloggnitz is a mountain town in the Neunkirchen district of Lower Austria, Austria.
Gloggnitz is situated in the south-western part of the "Vienna Basin" in Lower Austria. It is surrounded by the highest mountains in Lower Austria, Mount Rax (2007 m) and Mount Schneeberg (2076 m). The town is also a major traffic junction: Gloggnitz is situated on the main "Südbahn" (the important rail route between Vienna and Trieste in Italy) and the key S6 motorway .
Gloggnitz is famous for producing two of Austria's most distinguished Federal Presidents. Federal President Dr. Michael Hainisch and the Chancellor of State and later Federal President Dr. Karl Renner were both Gloggnitz citizens. Dr. Karl Renner spent 42 years of his life in Gloggnitz (up until his death in 1950). On the occasion of the anniversary of his hundredth birthday a monument was erected in Dr. Karl Renner Square. A museum in his former residence also commemorates the life of this highly respected former Gloggnitz resident.
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[edit] Sights and Monuments
[edit] Gloggnitz Castle
Gloggnitz Castle is a former medieval Catholic monastery and a later secularised complex of buildings, including the old Catholic parish church of Gloggnitz. It is also the home of the nationally renowned exhibition, "Lower Austrian Landesausstellung 1992“.
[edit] Christkönig Church
This is the new Catholic parish church, designed by the world-famous Austrian architect Prof. Clemens Holzmeister. The church was completed in 1962.
[edit] St. Othmar's Chapel
This is one of Gloggnitz's oldest buildings [the estimated date of construction lies between 1001 and 1102 A.D. (dependent upon different historical appraisals)]. It is situated in the town centre.
[edit] The "Herrenhaus" in Aue
The "Herrenhaus" is a baroque manor-house and the birthplace of the Federal President Dr. Michael Hainisch. It was designed by the famous baroque architect Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach (the creator of Vienna's Schönbrunn Palace). Unfortunately the building is now in ruins.
[edit] Stuppach Palace
The Stuppach Palace was where the primal chamber musical version of Mozart's Requiem was performed. It was restored in 1996.
[edit] The Renner Museum
This was the former residence of Dr. Karl Renner, the first Federal President of the Second Republic of Austria.
[edit] Economy and Industry
There have been vast changes in all branches of the Gloggnitz economy within the past 30 years. Within this period Gloggnitz developed from a local commercial centre and railway junction into an economically pulsing town. Today Gloggnitz can be proud of several internationally-active companies, employing hundreds of people.
[edit] History
The place name "Gloggnitz" descends from the Slavic word "Klokati", which means "bubble" or "murmur", and was first mentioned in 1094. "Clocniza" or "Glocniza" means "Murmuring River".
Monks from the Bavarian monastery of Formbach built a hermitage near the River Schwarza. This led to the establishment of a monastery for Gloggnitz. In the 15th century. The monks and local inhabitants were active farmers, craftsmen and wine makers. Later climate changes made the conditions for wine making and agriculture less favourable and as a consequence unprofitable.
For over 900 years (until the 19th century) the economic and social life of Gloggnitz and its local area was highly influenced and controlled by the monasterial lords of the manor. The town's favourable position on the strategic arterial route from Vienna to Italy encouraged colonisation and the small village of Gloggnitz grew. Gloggnitz also achieved the distinction of being able to hold its own market.
In 1660 the Austrian Emperor Leopold I visited Gloggnitz. When the French Emperor Napoleon I travelled south across the Semmering Pass in 1809, he also made a short overnight stay in Gloggnitz. On 17 August 1841 Emperor Ferdinand I opened the new Semmering Pass Road. Other visits by famous persons to Gloggnitz include: Emperor Franz Josef I (1850 and 1854), Crown Prince Rudolf and Princess Gisela (1862).
[edit] Tourism
The building of the Semmering Railway encouraged further progress. Over 150 years ago, on the 5 May 1842, the first train on the "Südbahn" arrived in Gloggnitz. In its earliest years the railway opened up the mountain scenery to the people of Vienna. Thousands of tourists visited Gloggnitz and went hiking around Vienna's so-called "Home Mountains“, Rax and Schneeberg. In 1854 the railway passage over Semmering was established.
The number of Gloggnitz houses and citizens increased steadilly between 1796 and 1836. Prior to the arrival of the railway, the town had a rate of growth of 11% in buildings and 14% in population. Between 1836 and 1876 the rate of new building rose to 142% and there was a huge 284% rise in the local population.
Gloggnitz was granted town status on the 5 May 1926. On the 2 January 1927 Federal President Dr. Hainisch, Federal Chancellor Dr. Seipel and the then former Chancellor-of-State Dr. Karl Renner addressed a big audience when they granted Gloggnitz the grant of privileges due to a town.
World War 2 and the unsettled post-war period meant many upheavals in the lives of the citizens of Gloggnitz. There were many structural changes, particularly in relation to the labour market and the development of housing. It took decades until the town regained the opportunity to take measures to boost its tourist industry.
In 1972 Gloggnitz became a member of the Semmering-Rax-Schneeberg Tourism Association. This partnership has been beneficial in promoting Gloggnitz and its surrounding area as sites of interest to both national and international visitors. The over 900 year old town of Gloggnitz is still an important traffic junction in the east of Austria and has not lost any of its geographical significance.
Alongside municipal buildings, the historical monuments of the town are also being constantly cared for and restored. A new city hall is presently being built. It is scheduled to open in September 2003. In 1992 Gloggnitz was the location of Lower Austria's biggest exhibition, the Lower Austrian "Landesausstellung“. The exhibition provided funds for the full restoration of the former monastery. Today Gloggnitz Castle is used as a "wedding castle" and site for various exhibitions.
[edit] External links
- Homepage of Gloggnitz - pictures of the sights and buildings of Gloggnitz
- Virtual tour through Gloggnitz
- Gloggnitz pictures and a visit in a restaurant
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