Baden bei Wien

Baden
Baden
Country Austria
State Lower Austria
District Baden
Mayor Kurt Staska (ÖVP)
Area 26.89 km2 (10 sq mi)
Elevation 230 m  (755 ft)
Population 25,176 (1 January 2011)[1]
 - Density 936 /km2 (2,425 /sq mi)
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Licence plate BN
Postal code 2500
Area codes 0 22 52
Website www.baden-bei-wien.at

Baden is a spa town in the Austrian state of Lower Austria and the capital of the Baden district. Located about 26 kilometres south of Vienna, frequently the name is given as Baden bei Wien (Baden near Vienna); this name, however, is not official, but can be used to distinguish it from other cities of the same name such as Baden-Baden or Baden, Switzerland. The municipality consists of the Katastralgemeinden Baden, Braiten, Gamingerhof, Leesdorf, Mitterberg, Rauhenstein and Weikersdorf.

Contents

Geography

Baden is situated at the mouth of the romantic Helenental, part of the Schwechat river valley within the Wienerwald mountain range, and used to be the principal summer resort of the wealthy inhabitants of Vienna, the neighbouring Austrian capital. It possesses a Kurhaus, fifteen bathing-establishments, a parish church in late Gothic style, and a town-hall, which contains archives. The warm baths, which gave name to the town, are thirteen in number, with a temperature of from 22°C (72°F) to 36°C (97°F), and contain, as chief ingredient, sulphate of lime. They rise for the most part at the foot of the Calvarienberg (1070 ft), which is composed of dolomitic limestone, and are mostly used for bathing purposes. Baden is surrounded by about 120 vineyards and has about 70 wine pubs (Heurigen).

History

The celebrity of Baden dates back to the days of the Romans, who knew it by the name of Thermae Pannonicae, and remains of their occupation still exist. The settlement was mentioned as Padun in a 869 deed and received town privileges in 1480. Although sacked at various times by Hungarians and Turks, it soon flourished again. Several members of the Austrian imperial family had made Baden their summer residence and had luxuriant villas build here, most notably Emperor Francis of Austria. After the town was ravaged by a blaze in 1812 it was extensively rebuilt in a Biedermeier style according to plans by architect Joseph Kornhäusel, it is therefore sometimes referred to as the Biedermeierstadt. In World War I Baden temporarily was the seat of the high command of the Austro-Hungarian Army. The opening of the casino in 1934 finally made the town the most important spa resort of Austria. After World War II Baden served as the headquarters of the Soviet forces within Allied-administered Austria until 1955.

Jewish history

Historical images
Herzogsbad (1679)  
1899—1927  
Villa Hudelist (1911)
(later — Villa Löwenstein)  
Central-Hotel (1919)  
Sauerhof (1919)  
Sauerhof and Peterhof (1925)  
1926—1931  
Strandbad (1928)  
Historical maps
1872  
1872  
1876  
1888  
1901  

Points of interest

The town offers several parks and a picturesque surrounding, of which the most frequented is the Helenental valley. Not far from Baden, the valley is crossed by a widespread aqueduct of the Vienna waterworks. At its entrance, on the right bank of the river, lie the ruins of the 12th century castle of Rauheneck, and at its foot the Château Weilburg, built in 1820-1825 by Archduke Charles of Austria, the victor of the Aspern Battle. On the left bank, just opposite, stands the ruined castle of Rauhenstein, dating also from the 12th century. About 4 m. up the valley is Mayerling, a hunting-lodge, where Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria and Baroness Mary Vetsera were found dead in 1889. Farther up is Alland, whence a road leads to the old and well-preserved Heiligenkreuz Abbey. It possesses a church, in Romanesque style, dating from the 11th century, with fine cloisters and the tombs of several members of the Babenberg family.

The highest point in the neighbourhood of Baden is the peak of the Hoher Lindkogel (2825 ft), popularly called Eisernes Tor (iron gate), which is ascended in about three hours.

The composer Ludwig van Beethoven stayed a number of times in Baden, and many of his residences can still be seen today. Street addresses include Antonsgasse 4, Breitnerstrasse 26, Frauengasse 10, Johannesbadgasse 12, Kaiser Franz Ring 9, Rathausgasse 10 (a museum open to the public), and Weilburgstrasse 13. The Baden town theatre, built in 1909 by Ferdinand Fellner, mainly shows operetta performances.

Transportation

Baden can be reached by the Süd Autobahn (A2) and is linked with the Südbahn railway line (including S-Bahn line S9) at the Baden train station as well as with the Badener Bahn tram-train to Vienna.

Government

Kurt Staska (ÖVP) is Baden's Bürgermeister as a result of elections of 2010. His deputy is Helga Krismer from the Greens.

Local board (German: Gemeinderat) consists of 41 places:

Baden bei Wien
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D
 
 
35
 
3
−3
 
 
34
 
6
−2
 
 
49
 
10
2
 
 
55
 
15
5
 
 
62
 
21
10
 
 
70
 
23
13
 
 
67
 
26
15
 
 
60
 
25
15
 
 
57
 
21
11
 
 
42
 
15
6
 
 
52
 
8
2
 
 
41
 
4
−1
Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation totals in mm
Source: ZAMG

Demographics

Year Population
1971 22,727
1981 23,140
1991 23,488
2001 24,518
2006 25,212
2010 25,136
Source: Baden (Niederösterreich)

Notable people

Natives

Residents

References

  1. ^ Statistik Austria - Bevölkerung zu Jahres- und Quartalsanfang, 2011-01-01.
  2. ^ Lokal-Nachrichten. Taufe in der Weilburg. Badener Zeitung, August 2, 1911, p.3 [1]
  3. ^
  4. ^
  5. ^
  6. ^
  7. ^
  8. ^
  9. ^

External links

Gallery

Josefsplatz end station  
Main square  
Theatre square  
Congress Casino  
Mozarttempel  
Steep path in kurpark  
View from the vineyards  
Summer Arena  
Metternichhof
(by Joseph Kornhäusel)  
Hotel Esplanade  
Franzensbad and Theater am Steg  
Military barack (Martinek)  
Thermal complex and swimming pool  
Pfarrgasse  
Theresiengasse  
Rollettmuseum  
St Helena Church  
Beethoven house at the Rathausgasse 10  
Typical house with caryatids and Jugendstil balcony  
Bridge for cycles over the Schwechat river  
St Stephen Church  
In Rosarium  
So-called Römertherme (i.e. Roman baths)