Wels description and photos - Austria: Upper Austria (Topic)

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

Photo and description

Wels is the second largest city in Upper Austria, located on the Traun river, 30 kilometers from Linz. The population of the city is almost 60,000 people. Wels is located at an altitude of 317 meters above sea level.

Wels is a very old city, in 120 it was named Ovilava Municipality. In about 215, it was renamed in honor of the emperor Caracalla. At that time, the city already had 18,000 inhabitants. However, Wels lost its significance with the end of Roman rule. In 477 the city was completely destroyed by the Heruls.

In the Middle Ages it served as a small trade center. In 1222, during the reign of the Babenberg family, Wels again received city status. A document from 1328 was found in the archives, which proves the important role of Wels as a trade city and fairground. The advantageous position of the city next to the river routes allowed it to gain important positions in the region. Wels developed at a rapid pace together with neighboring Linz. In 1519, Emperor Maximilian I died in Wels.

During World War II, the Mauthausen concentration camp was located nearby.

Currently, the city regularly hosts international agricultural fairs. But there are many historical monuments that are of interest to explore.

Through the baroque Ledererturm gate, you can get to the central square of Stadtplatz. There is a late baroque town hall and a water tower from the second half of the 16th century. The parish church of St. John is decorated with a Romanesque portal & nbsp; and a unique 14th century stained glass window in the presbytery. Here, on the square, there was once a monastery, from which only the Kremsmunstererhof, built in the Rococo style, with a courtyard decorated with arcades, has survived. The Imperial Palace - the former castle of Wels, mentioned in documents from the beginning of the 8th century, is now given over to the exposition of the local history museum.

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Topic: Wels description and photos - Austria: Upper Austria.