Judenburg description and photos - Austria: Styria (Topic)

Judenburg description and photos - Austria: Styria. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The title in English is Judenburg.

Photo and description

Judenburg is an Austrian city located in the federal state of Styria, on the banks of the Mur River. The city is located at an altitude of 737 meters above sea level. The first written mention of this area dates back to 1074, we are talking about Eppenstein Castle. At that time, Jewish traders occupied the territory of modern Judenburg, where an important trade route passed from the Mur valley through the mountain pass to Carinthia.

Judenburg received city privileges in 1224 and gradually grew into an important trade center. One of the most important goods produced in the city was valerian, whose raw materials were used to make scented soaps. The city was home to 22 successful Jews who actively invested in the development of urban infrastructure. In 1496, the Jews were expelled from Judenburg by order of Emperor Maximilian I, however, they were able to return under Emperor Franz Joseph I.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the city was one of the centers of the steel industry. Today, only a small part of industrial production has survived in the city.

During the Nazi rule, there was an idea to rename the city in order to remove all associations with Jews from the name. The Zierbenstadt option was considered, however, the discussion was postponed until the end of the Second World War. As a result, the renaming never took place.

Most of the population of Judenburg was destroyed by the Nazis. Today the city is home to several hundred Jews.

The most interesting to visit is the Jewish quarter of the city around the church of St. Nikolay, although little remains of the old buildings. The Church of St. Nicholas was rebuilt in 1673 in the Baroque style, later elements of the neo-Renaissance were introduced. The interior of the temple houses the figures of the 12 apostles by the local sculptor Balthasar Brandstattar. Next to the altar is a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary with the Child of 1500. The Church of Mary Magdalene is famous for its restored Gothic stained glass windows. There is a Museum of Local Lore in Judenburg.

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Topic: Judenburg description and photos - Austria: Styria.