Leoben
Municipality
Main square and old city hall
Main square and old city hall
Flag of Leoben
Flag
Coat of arms of Leoben
Coat of arms
Leoben is located in Styria
Leoben
Leoben
Location within Austria
Leoben is located in Austria
Leoben
Leoben
Leoben (Austria)
Coordinates: 47°22′54″N 15°05′50″E / 47.38167°N 15.09722°E / 47.38167; 15.09722
CountryAustria
StateStyria
DistrictLeoben
Government
 • MayorKurt Wallner (SPÖ)
Area
[1]
 • Total107.77 km2 (41.61 sq mi)
Elevation
541 m (1,775 ft)
Population
 (2018-01-01)[2]
 • Total24,645
 • Density230/km2 (590/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
8700
Area code03842
Vehicle registrationLE
Websitewww.leoben.at,

Leoben (German pronunciation: [leˈoːbm̩] ⓘ) is a Styrian city in central Austria, located on the Mur river. With a population of about 25,000 it is a local industrial centre and hosts the University of Leoben, which specialises in mining. The Peace of Leoben, an armistice between Austria and France preliminary to the Treaty of Campo Formio, was signed in Leoben in 1797.

The Justice Centre Leoben is a prison designed by architect Josef Hohensinn, which was completed in 2005.

Name

Leoben was attested in historical sources as Liupina in AD 904.[3] The name is of Slavic origin, meaning 'beloved', and is derived from the root ljub- 'love'.[4][5][6]

Past and present

The toll tower (1280) and the church of Saint Francis Xavier (1660–1665)

Leoben is known as the “Gateway to the Styrian Iron Road”. The 13th-century Main Square features the Hackl House with its baroque façade in red and white. The City Parish Church, St. Francis Xavier, built in 1660, comprises a 17th-century interior and is considered one of the most significant Jesuit churches in Austria. Also of note is the Art Nouveau Lutheran church which is at the upper end of the Franz-Josef-Strasse.

The oldest convent for women in Styria is Göss Abbey. Founded in 1020 A.D., it was run by the Benedictine nuns until it was dissolved in 1782 and made the see of short-lived Diocese of Leoben. The early Romanesque crypt is of note as is the 'Gösser Ornat,' which can be seen in Vienna (Museum for Applied Arts). Next to the convent is the Gösser brewery, which includes a brewery museum.

Current cultural events include classical concerts in the Congress Leoben, productions of the Summer Philharmonic in July and performances of local and guest productions in the oldest operating theatre in Austria.[7]

Tradition & avantgarde

Leoben was shaped for centuries by the trade in iron and the research in raw materials carried out at the University of Leoben, which was founded in 1840. Mining traditions still play an important part in city life. Examples are the Miners' Parade, the St. Barbara Celebration or the Ledersprung ("Leather Jump"). The Gösser Kirtag, a street fair, takes place on the Thursday after the first Sunday in October and attracts tens of thousands of visitors to Leoben.

Other components of the vigorous cultural life of the "Mining City" include classical concerts in the Congress Leoben, productions of the Summer Philharmonics in July and performances of locally created and guest productions in the oldest still-running theatre in Austria.

Notable people

References

  1. ↑ "Dauersiedlungsraum der Gemeinden Politischen Bezirke und Bundesländer - Gebietsstand 1.1.2018". Statistics Austria. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  2. ↑ "Einwohnerzahl 1.1.2018 nach Gemeinden mit Status, Gebietsstand 1.1.2018". Statistics Austria. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  3. ↑ Leitner-Böchzelt, Susanne (2002). Leoben. Erfurt: Sutton Verlag. p. 7.
  4. ↑ Wysoky, Ernst (October 13, 1862). "Zur Urgeschichte des Erzberges bei Eisenerz in Steiermark". Oesterreichische Zeitschrift für Berg- und Hüttenwesen. No. 41. Vienna. p. 324.
  5. ↑ Pirchegger, Hans (1936). Geschichte der Steiermark. Graz: Leuschner. p. 88.
  6. ↑ Niemeyer, Manfred (2012). Deutsches Ortsnamenbuch. Berlin: de Gruyter. p. 361.
  7. ↑ City of Leoben: A City on the Move. In: City of Leoben
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