Radstadt
Encyclopedia
Radstadt is a historic town
in the district of St. Johann im Pongau in the Austria
n state of Salzburg
. It is located at the confluence of the Taurach stream and the Enns river, at the foot of Roßbrand mountain, part of the Salzburg Slate Alps.
, and received city rights
in 1289. The town was of significant value for the protection of the Ennstal Valley and the road crossing the Radstädter Tauern Pass
towards Carinthia
and Aquileia
. Radstadt has a Gothic
church consecrated in 1417, and a town hall dating from 16th century. Its city walls are preserved, including three towers which were added after the German Peasants' War
of 1524/25, in which the citizens sided with Archbishop Matthäus Lang von Wellenburg
. In 1731/32 the Protestant
population was expelled, they were granted asylum by the Prussian
king Frederick William I of Hohenzollern
and settled in East Prussia
.
Today Radstadt is also a popular tourism resort, with more tourists annually than the year-round population. It features its own ski area, and is part of an extended downhill ski and snowboard region (Ski Amadé
) with links with the neighbouring town of Altenmarkt
.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in the district of St. Johann im Pongau in the 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...
n state of Salzburg
Salzburg (state)
Salzburg is a state or Land of Austria with an area of 7,156 km2, located adjacent to the German border. It is also known as Salzburgerland, to distinguish it from its capital city, also named Salzburg...
. It is located at the confluence of the Taurach stream and the Enns river, at the foot of Roßbrand mountain, part of the Salzburg Slate Alps.
History
A place called Rastat was already mentioned in a 1074 deed, the town of Radstadt was founded in the 13th century, when the Pongau region became part of the Archbishopric of SalzburgArchbishopric of Salzburg
The Archbishopric of Salzburg was an ecclesiastical State of the Holy Roman Empire, its territory roughly congruent with the present-day Austrian state of Salzburg....
, and received city rights
German town law
German town law or German municipal concerns concerns town privileges used by many cities, towns, and villages throughout Central and Eastern Europe during the Middle Ages.- Town law in Germany :...
in 1289. The town was of significant value for the protection of the Ennstal Valley and the road crossing the Radstädter Tauern Pass
Radstädter Tauern Pass
Radstädter Tauern Pass is a high mountain pass in the Radstädter Tauern which are in the Niedere Tauern range of the Central Eastern Alps in Austria between Radstadt and Mauterndorf in the state of Salzburg....
towards Carinthia
Duchy of Carinthia
The Duchy of Carinthia was a duchy located in southern Austria and parts of northern Slovenia. It was separated from the Duchy of Bavaria in 976, then the first newly created Imperial State beside the original German stem duchies....
and Aquileia
Patriarchate of Aquileia (State)
The Patriarchate of Aquileia was an Imperial State in the Friulian region of Northeastern Italy under the control of the Patriarchs of Aquileia.- Foundation :...
. Radstadt has a Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
church consecrated in 1417, and a town hall dating from 16th century. Its city walls are preserved, including three towers which were added after the German Peasants' War
German Peasants' War
The German Peasants' War or Great Peasants' Revolt was a widespread popular revolt in the German-speaking areas of Central Europe, 1524–1526. At its height in the spring and summer of 1525, the conflict involved an estimated 300,000 peasants: contemporary estimates put the dead at 100,000...
of 1524/25, in which the citizens sided with Archbishop Matthäus Lang von Wellenburg
Matthäus Lang von Wellenburg
Matthäus Lang von Wellenburg was a statesman of the Holy Roman Empire, a Cardinal and Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg from 1519 to his death....
. In 1731/32 the Protestant
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
population was expelled, they were granted asylum by the Prussian
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
king Frederick William I of Hohenzollern
Frederick William I of Prussia
Frederick William I of the House of Hohenzollern, was the King in Prussia and Elector of Brandenburg from 1713 until his death...
and settled in East Prussia
East Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
.
Today Radstadt is also a popular tourism resort, with more tourists annually than the year-round population. It features its own ski area, and is part of an extended downhill ski and snowboard region (Ski Amadé
Ski Amade
The Ski Amadé region of Austria is a network of 28 ski areas and towns that combined, make up the largest ski area in Europe. It is named after the composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart who was born in the city of Salzburg.-Background:...
) with links with the neighbouring town of Altenmarkt
Altenmarkt im Pongau
Altenmarkt im Pongau is a small town in the Salzburg state of Austria. Altenmarkt is situated 65 km South East of Salzburg. The town occupies an area of approximately 48 km² and sits at 842 metres above sea level.The town is principally known for its winter tourism...
.
Politics
Seats in the municipal assembly (Stadtsenat) as of 2009 elections- 10 Austrian People's PartyAustrian People's PartyThe Austrian People's Party is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Austria. A successor to the Christian Social Party of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it is similar to the Christian Democratic Union of Germany in terms of ideology...
(ÖVP) - 7 Social Democratic Party of AustriaSocial Democratic Party of AustriaThe Social Democratic Party of Austria is one of the oldest political parties in Austria. The SPÖ is one of the two major parties in Austria, and has ties to trade unions and the Austrian Chamber of Labour. The SPÖ is among the few mainstream European social-democratic parties that have preserved...
(SPÖ) - 4 Freedom Party of AustriaFreedom Party of AustriaThe Freedom Party of Austria is a political party in Austria. Ideologically, the party is a direct descendant of the German national liberal camp, which dates back to the 1848 revolutions. The FPÖ itself was founded in 1956 as the successor to the short-lived Federation of Independents , which had...
(FPÖ)
Notable people
- Paul HofhaimerPaul HofhaimerPaul Hofhaimer was an Austrian organist and composer. He was particularly gifted at improvisation, and was regarded as the finest organist of his age by many writers, including Vadian and Paracelsus; in addition he was one of only two German-speaking composers of the time who had a reputation in...
(1459 – 1537), composer - Putzi FrandlPutzi FrandlJosefine "Putzi" Frandl is an Austrian former alpine ski racer. She was among the world's best ski racers in the mid 1950's...
(born 1930), alpine ski racer - Michael WalchhoferMichael WalchhoferMichael Walchhofer is a former Austrian alpine ski racer. He started his career in slalom, but then moved over to the speed events. During his career he won the downhill world cup three times, one silver medal at Olympics Games, and one gold, two silver and one bronze medal at World Ski...
(born 1975), alpine ski racer