Lobau
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- This article is about a floodplain in Vienna. For other meanings see Löbau (disambiguation).
The Lobau is a floodplain of the Danube located on the northern side of the river in Vienna and partly in Großenzersdorf, Lower Austria. Notably, it was the site of the Battle of Aspern-Essling in 1809, the first major defeat suffered by Napoléon, which was inflicted on him by an Austrian army led by Archduke Charles, and of the Battle of Wagram, a victory for Napoleon that followed two months later.
The Donauinsel (Vienna Danube Island), which was constructed in the 70s and early 80s, is not part of the Lobau, but borders it and is also colloquially sometimes referred to as Lobau. The Lobau itself is also used as a recreational area and is known as a site of nudism.
But the Lobau is still a habitat of animals and plants threatened by extinction. Thus, it has been a protected area since 1978 and has since 1996 been a part of the National park Donau Auen.
There is also an oil harbour on the Danube located in part of the Lobau.
Small parts of the Lobau are used by the Austrian Army as a training ground. Furthermore, it is a source of groundwater, which is needed in peak hours (especially during the summer) to provide Vienna with drinking water, in addition to the water coming from the Alps through the Wiener Hochquellenwasserleitung.
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