Waidhofen an der Ybbs description and photos - Austria: Lower Austria (Topic)

Waidhofen an der Ybbs description and photos - Austria: Lower Austria. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The title in English is Waidhofen an der Ybbs.

Photo and description

Waidhofen am Ybbs is an Austrian city located in the south-west of the country in the federal state of Lower Austria, in the foothills of the Alps at an altitude of 362 meters above sea level. & nbsp; The origin of the city's name has not yet been finally established. One of the most common versions is associated with the name of a large cattle-breeding farm.

The history of the city begins in 955, when Emperor Conrad II donated lands to the Diocese of Freising. In the 12th century, a small castle was built as the administrative center of the Freisinger region (3 kilometers from the city center). During the conflict between Duke Rudolph IV (1339-1365) and the bishopric of Freising in 1360, the castle was abandoned under mysterious circumstances. In the years 1390-1410, Bishop Berthold of Wechinger, who was at that time the chancellor of Austria, began a powerful modernization of the city, started the construction of 13 defensive towers along the walls.

Since the 12th century, iron ore mining began in Styria. Waidhofen was located at the crossroads of two major trade routes, so the city became quite successful in metalworking. So, by the middle of the 16th century, up to 20% of European cast iron was processed in the city. The production developed so rapidly that the goods began to be exported to Venice and the Middle East.

In the city center, there are many historical buildings, including those from the late Middle Ages. In the 19th century, the facades of many buildings acquired features of the Neo-Renaissance, Neo-Baroque and Biedermeier style. Against this background, two towers stand out - the remains of the city's medieval fortifications. The Ibsturm Tower dates from the 13th century, The 50-meter Stadturm was erected in 1534 in honor of the defeat of the Turks near the city. Since then, the clock on the tower has always shown 11:45 - the time of victory over the enemy.

The Regional Museum of the city is interesting to visit, it is one of the modern museums of Lower Austria.

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Topic: Waidhofen an der Ybbs description and photos - Austria: Lower Austria.