Platt, Austria
Encyclopedia
Platt is a village in the Zellerndorf
administrative community in the district of Hollabrunn
, Lower Austria
, in northeast Austria
. It is notable for its position on the Diendorf fault line and for its immediate vicinity to the site of one of the most significant Celtic settlements in Central Europe, situated on the southern slopes of the nearby Sandberg ridge towards the neighboring village of Roseldorf.
(Funnelbeaker culture
) and early Bronze age
(Unetice culture
) times. Prehistoric culture reached its peak during the early and middle La Tène period
, around 300 B.C., when the large (20-40 ha) Sandberg Celtic city
existed here on the southern slopes of the nearby Sandberg ridge. Systematic archeological excavations that have been ongoing since 2001 continue to reveal information on this recently recognized and highly significant settlement from the Iron Age
, which at its climax comprised at least 450 buildings and included a halidom district with several cult sites.
The village of Platt was first documented in 1185 (as Plade), and grew from 56 buildings in 1590 to 187 in 1850, when the population reached 1,202 and the village became an independent administrative community. From this time onward the headcount dropped continually, reaching a minimum of 398 in 1991 and rising only marginally as a result of weekend residences being built, mainly by citizens of Vienna
which is about 75 kilometres (47 mi) away to the southeast. In 1967, the local administration of Platt was moved to Zellerndorf
.
Only the tower, strongly modified in the 18th century, is left from Platt's original parish church, which was dedicated to St. Ulrich
and traces back to a chapel erected between 1430 and 1440. The much larger new church was completed in 1850. It contains two oil paintings by Paul Troger
, a famous artist from the Baroque
period.
The first decades of the 19th century were an unfortunate time for Platt. The village burned twice (in 1811 and again in 1827), followed by a cholera
epidemic in 1832.
and Melk
to Mautern
, Krems and Maissau
, then continues northward towards the Czech border. Its movements do not primarily result in earthquakes but rather in the slow but constant formation of subterranean clefts and cavities which destabilize the ground and cause significant damage even to major buildings with strong foundations. Occasionally large cavities collapse and take entire surface structures down with them, as happened with parts of a vineyard in 1942. This might be the reason for the unexplained disappearance of a building of local significance (sometimes referred to as a castle) which was independently documented by several sources in the early 17th century but was gone by the 1670s, apparently without leaving permanent traces. It has been suggested that the building became a victim of the Diendorf fault, but it is also possible that it was destroyed by invading Swedish troops during the final phase of the Thirty Years' War
: in 1645, the headquarters for Swedish army operations in Lower Austria had been established in the immediate vicinity, at the castle of Schrattenthal
.
, but recently significant areas have been dedicated to pumpkins (the Styrian variety cultivated for their highly valued seed oil
) and sunflowers. The second most important element is tourism.
There is a direct and well-served train connection linking Platt to Austria's capital, Vienna
and to Znojmo
immediately across the Czech border. Bus connections are available to Retz
.
Zellerndorf
Zellerndorf is a town in the district of Hollabrunn in Lower Austria, Austria....
administrative community in the district of Hollabrunn
Hollabrunn
Hollabrunn is a district capital town in the Austrian state of Lower Austria, on the Göllersbach river.- History :The surroundings of Hollabrunn were first settled in neolithic times. Around 300 B.C...
, 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...
, in northeast 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...
. It is notable for its position on the Diendorf fault line and for its immediate vicinity to the site of one of the most significant Celtic settlements in Central Europe, situated on the southern slopes of the nearby Sandberg ridge towards the neighboring village of Roseldorf.
History
The Platt area shows signs of human habitation that date back to late neolithicNeolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
(Funnelbeaker culture
Funnelbeaker culture
The Funnelbeaker culture, short TRB from Trichterbecherkultur is the principal north central European megalithic culture of late Neolithic Europe.- Predecessor and successor cultures :...
) and early Bronze age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
(Unetice culture
Unetice culture
Unetice; or more properly Únětice culture ; is the name given to an early Bronze Age culture, preceded by the Beaker culture and followed by the Tumulus culture. It was named after finds at site in Únětice, northwest of Prague. It is focused around the Czech Republic, southern and central Germany,...
) times. Prehistoric culture reached its peak during the early and middle La Tène period
La Tène culture
The La Tène culture was a European Iron Age culture named after the archaeological site of La Tène on the north side of Lake Neuchâtel in Switzerland, where a rich cache of artifacts was discovered by Hansli Kopp in 1857....
, around 300 B.C., when the large (20-40 ha) Sandberg Celtic city
Sandberg Celtic city
The Sandberg, a hill ridge in the northwestern part of the Weinviertel region of Lower Austria approximately 70 km north of Vienna, has recently emerged as one of the potentially most important archaeological sites of the middle La Tène culture in Central Europe. The settlement which...
existed here on the southern slopes of the nearby Sandberg ridge. Systematic archeological excavations that have been ongoing since 2001 continue to reveal information on this recently recognized and highly significant settlement from the Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
, which at its climax comprised at least 450 buildings and included a halidom district with several cult sites.
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...
which is about 75 kilometres (47 mi) away to the southeast. In 1967, the local administration of Platt was moved to Zellerndorf
Zellerndorf
Zellerndorf is a town in the district of Hollabrunn in Lower Austria, Austria....
.
Only the tower, strongly modified in the 18th century, is left from Platt's original parish church, which was dedicated to St. Ulrich
Ulrich of Augsburg
Saint Ulrich , sometimes spelled Uodalric or Odalrici, was Bishop of Augsburg and a leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Germany. He was the first saint to be canonized.-Family:...
and traces back to a chapel erected between 1430 and 1440. The much larger new church was completed in 1850. It contains two oil paintings by Paul Troger
Paul Troger
Paul Troger was an Austrian painter, draughtsman and printmaker of the late Baroque period. Troger's illusionistic ceiling paintings in fresco are notable for their dramatic vitality of movement and their palette of light colors.Paul Troger’s style, particularly in his frescoes, dominated Austrian...
, a famous artist from the 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...
period.
The first decades of the 19th century were an unfortunate time for Platt. The village burned twice (in 1811 and again in 1827), followed by a cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
epidemic in 1832.
The Diendorf fault line and the vanished castle
Platt is situated on one of the most active segments of the Diendorf fault, a geological disturbance traversing Lower Austria from WieselburgWieselburg
Wieselburg is a town in Lower Austria, Austria, located near the River Erlauf. Its name roughly translates to castle where two rivers meet, as there are two rivers that run together to create the Erlauf...
and Melk
Melk
Melk is a city of Austria, in the federal state of Lower Austria, next to the Wachau valley along the Danube. Melk has a population of 5,222 ....
to Mautern
Mautern an der Donau
Mautern an der Donau is a town in the district of Krems-Land in the Austrian state of Lower Austria. It is a municipality with about 3,500 inhabitants, situated on the southern bank of the Danube opposite Krems/Stein. In former times ships cruising the Danube had to pay a toll when they passed...
, Krems and Maissau
Maissau
Maissau is a municipality in the district of Hollabrunn in Lower Austria, Austria....
, then continues northward towards the Czech border. Its movements do not primarily result in earthquakes but rather in the slow but constant formation of subterranean clefts and cavities which destabilize the ground and cause significant damage even to major buildings with strong foundations. Occasionally large cavities collapse and take entire surface structures down with them, as happened with parts of a vineyard in 1942. This might be the reason for the unexplained disappearance of a building of local significance (sometimes referred to as a castle) which was independently documented by several sources in the early 17th century but was gone by the 1670s, apparently without leaving permanent traces. It has been suggested that the building became a victim of the Diendorf fault, but it is also possible that it was destroyed by invading Swedish troops during the final phase of the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
: in 1645, the headquarters for Swedish army operations in Lower Austria had been established in the immediate vicinity, at the castle of Schrattenthal
Schrattenthal
Schrattenthal is a town in the district of Hollabrunn in Lower Austria, Austria....
.
Economy and infrastructure
Platt's economy is essentially agricultural, mostly based on wineWine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
, but recently significant areas have been dedicated to pumpkins (the Styrian variety cultivated for their highly valued seed oil
Pumpkin seed oil
Pumpkin seed oil , a culinary specialty of south eastern Austria , eastern Slovenia , north western Croatia Pumpkin seed oil (Kernöl or Kürbiskernöl in German, bučno olje in Slovenian, bučino ulje or bundevino ulje in Croatian, and tökmag-olaj in Hungarian), a culinary specialty of south eastern...
) and sunflowers. The second most important element is tourism.
There is a direct and well-served train connection linking Platt to 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...
and to Znojmo
Znojmo
Znojmo is a city in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic, near the border with Lower Austria, connected to Vienna by railway and road . The royal city of Znojmo was founded shortly before 1226 by King Ottokar I on the plains in front of Znojmo Castle...
immediately across the Czech border. Bus connections are available to Retz
Retz
Retz is a town with a population of 4,168 in the district of Hollabrunn in Lower Austria, Austria.- Geography :Retz is located in the north western Weinviertel in Lower Austria. The municipality's area covers 45,01 km². 11.83 percent of this area is forested...
.