Wiener Neustadt(hungarian: Bécsújhely) is located south of Vienna in the state of Lower Austria. It is a self-governed city and the seat of the district administration of Wiener Neustadt-Land . Wiener Neustadt city is also the "secret" capital of Burgenland.
History
The city was founded by the Babenberger duke Leopold V in 1192, who financed the construction of the city with the ransom paid for the English king Richard the Lion heart, who had previosuly been held as a hostage in Austria at Dürnstein. Wiener Neustadt, meaning more or less New Vienna, first served as a fortress to defend against nearby Hungary. Important privileges were given to the city in order to enable it to prosper. In the 15th century, Wiener Neustadt experienced population boom, when emperor Friedrick III took up his residence here and in Graz. The Wappenwand (coat of arms wall) at the local castle displays the coats of arms of his possessions in the middle. His son Maximilian I maintained his court in Wiener Neustadt and was buried there in the St. George's Cathedral.
The Hungarian king Matthias Corvinus conquered the city in August of 1487 after having laid siege to it for two years. He dedicated the Corvinus Cup to the inhabitants. Only in 1490, Maximilian I managed to reconquer his native city. During the 16. Century , Wiener Neustadt lost the status as imperial residence and much of its importance. However, it still fulfilled its function as bulwark against the Turks and the Kuruc. Only in 1751, it received greater attention when Empress Maria Theresa of Austria decided to dedicate a cadet house inside the imperial castle. In 1752, the Theresian Military Academy took up its operations, which have since then continued with only a few interruptions until this day. In 1768, Wiener Neustadt was destroyed by an earthquake. The castle, which had suffered strongly, was rebuilt using plans made by the architect Niccolo Pacassi . In 1785, emperor Joseph II transferred the diocese of Wiener Neustadt to St. Pölten.
In 1909, an airfield north of the city was inaugurated. In 1911, Wiener Neustadt held the first Austrian flight week. The Wiener Neustadt airfield served as a training ground to the flight pioneers Igo Etrich , Karl Illner and Adolf Warchalowski , who conducted their tests there.
During World War II Wiener Neustadt was the hardest hit austrian city in terms of bombings, about 80% of the city was destroyed, thousands of people died due to american bombing.
In 1946, in order to recunstruct the city following destruction by bombs in World War II, the city administration called upon the population to participate in the effort on a volunatary basis, as thousands of tons of debris had to be removed. In 1955, when Austria regained its full independence from allied control in the Austrian State Treaty, most of the repair work in the most heavily destroyed city of Austria had been completed
External link to the city's history:< br/> http://www.stadtmuseum.wrn.at/geschichte/geschichte.asp (in German)
Economics
The city is known for industry, trade and research.
Transportation
Wiener Neustadt is one of the most important traffic junctions of Austria. It is connected to other major centers of population by railway and by Autobahn. The city still has an airfield (with two military airfields) and is the starting point of Austria's only shipping canal, the Wiener Neustaedter Kanal .
University, professional schools, vocational academies
Wiener Neustadt has Austria's first and largest professional school for economics and technology. In addition, seat of the Wiener Neustadt's Theresian Military Academy , the most important training centre for officers of the Austrian Army.
City Partnerships
Development of the city
The most recent extensionof the city is the CIVITAS NOVA , Latin for new city, an ambitious project for an industrial, research and commercial center. In the near future, on the area of the Civitas Nova, a cancer research center for ion therapy will be opened under the name of Med Austron LEFT: http://www.medaustron.at/ (in German)
Culture
Wiener Neustadt became internationally famous, a few years ago, as a catwalk designed by a Japanese artist was built around the main square. Concerts are held in the Aerodrom . The website is at: http://www.aerodrome.at/evo/web/wiesen/24183_DE (in German)
Sites of interest
The city has a theatre and 9 museums, the museums are:
- city museum [1] (in German)
- city archives
- 'Aviaticum flight museum
- industrial area museum
- hospital museum
- Kurt Ingerl-Gedenkraum
- mineralogical museum
- a tower
- tower museum in the cathedral
Buildings include:
- Water tower (one of the landmarks)
- Mariensäule (at Hauptplatz)
People
Other
- A general hospital with a dialysis center link: http://www.kh-wrn.ac.at
- Outdoor cinema
- Hamburger fish market
Last updated: 05-07-2005 10:39:08
Last updated: 05-13-2005 07:56:04
