For the town in Germany, see Mistelbach, Bavaria

Mistelbach, Bavaria

Mistelbach is a municipality in the district of Bayreuth in Bavaria in Germany....

.
Mistelbach an der Zaya (Mistelbach on the (River) Zaya) is a town in the northeast of Austria

Austria

Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...

 in so called Lower Austria

Lower Austria

Lower Austria is the northeasternmost state of the nine states in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria since 1986 is Sankt Pölten, the most recently designated capital town in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria had formerly been Vienna, even though Vienna is not officially part of Lower Austria...

, one of Austria's nine Federal States. It is located roughly 40 km northeast of Austria's capital Vienna

Vienna

Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...

. Furthermore, it consists of 8 subordinated municipalities.

Geographical location

Mistelbach is located in the North East of Lower Austria's Wine Quarter (Weinviertel), approximately 25 to 30 km from the Czech and the Slovak borders. It lies next to the main road connection between Brno (Czech Republic) and Vienna (Road B7).

History

Early settlements in the Mistelbach area can be traced back to pre-Christian times.

Around 1130 Mistelbach was mentioned on official deeds for the first time. After the Lords of Mistelbach had ceased around 1370 the initially royal estates of Wilfersdorf were given to the House of Lichtenstein.

Mistelbach was granted its first right to hold markets in 1372. Today Mistelbach still hosts four markets per year. Mistelbach received its town charter July 5, 1874.

In the 19th century Mistelbach was strongly influenced by its connection to the Austrian Eastern Railway. It eventually became the district's capital and schools were built. In the 20th century Mistelbach experienced difficulties caused by its geographical proximity to the Iron Curtain. Nevertheless the town developed into a regional center of the Eastern Winequarter (Weinviertel).

Population

According to the 2001 census population is 10,644. In 1991 Mistelbach counted 10,234 residents, in 1981 10,251 and in 1971 10,235.

Politics

The post of mayor is held by Mr. Christian Resch. Mr. Gabauer acts as Chief Municipal Officer.
After local elections March 6, 2005 the 37 seats of the Municipal Council are divided as follows:
ÖVP (Austrian Christian Democratic Party): 20 seats, SPÖ (Austrian Social Democratic Party): 11 seats, LAB: 3 seats, Green Party of Austria: 2 seats, and FPÖ (Austrian Liberal Party): 1 seat.

Schools

• HTL (Higher Technical School) for Healthcare Technologies
• HAK & HAS (Higher Commercial Academy/Higher Commercial School)
• BORG (Grammar School)
• HS (Public School)
• VS (Elementary School)
• ASO (School for Mentally Handicapped Children)
• Vocational School
• Wine Farmer's School
• Nurse's Training School

Sights

• Gothic Church on Church Hill

built around 1500, with a gothic Madonna out of sandstone

• Romanic mortuary (Karner)

built around 1200

• Town Hall
• Trinity Column
  Marian and Holy Trinity columns
  Marian columns are religious monuments built in honour of the Virgin Mary, often in thanksgiving for the ending of a plague or for some other help. The purpose of the Holy Trinity columns was usually simply to celebrate the church and the faith. However, the plague motif could sometimes play its...
  
  
• Baroque
  Baroque
  The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
  
   castle (Barockschlößl) in Museum Lane (Museumsgasse)
• Monastery
  Monastery
  Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
  
   of the Fraternaty of the Barnabiten

built 1687, with precious ceiling fresco

Fresco

Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...

s by Kainz, Rossaforte and Maulpertsch

• Column commemorating Mistelbach's suffering under the Black Death
  Black Death
  The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
  
  (Pestsäule)
• Weather Station in Mistelbach's Town Park
• Town center (Stadtsaal)
• Museum Center Mistelbach

including the Hermann Nitsch Museum, opened in May 2007 (http://www.hermann-nitsch-museum.at/)

Hermann Nitsch lives near Mistelbach, in the small village of Prinzendorf. The artist is famous for his unconventional style and for his performance art, for which he also faces considerable criticism. (http://www.nitsch.org/)

• Culture Scenery (Kulturlandschaft) around Paasdorf
• Historic Barn (Hofstadl), built in the 19th century in the so-called ship-body style Siebenhirten

Mistelbach is also home to one of the region's most popular, though traditional Vienna-style coffee houses "Cafe Harlekin" which has become an icon of the city's lifestyle over the years. (http://www.cafe-harlekin.at/)

Subordinated municipalities

• Ebendorf
• Eibesthal
• Frättingsdorf
• Hörersdorf
• Hüttendorf, within the municipality of Mistelbach
• Kettlasbrunn
• Lanzendorf, within the municipality of Mistelbach
• Paasdorf
• Siebenhirten

Economy and infrastructure

In 2001 there were 583 non-agricultural enterprises in Mistelbach. In 1999 agriculture- and forestry-related enterprises amounted to 281. According to 2001 census data 4,776 people out of the total population worked in Mistelbach. The labor force participation rate is 45.9%.

International community

A group of English speakers provides an opportunity for all English speakers in the region to meat other expats and English speaking Austrians. They support cultural activities and provide opportunities for improving appreciation of the life and culture of all countries - Austria in particular.A monthly Coffee Morning in Hotel zur Linde is organized. No Fee or Membership, everybody is welcome. Website: Livinginmistelbach.