Seeboden

Infobox Town AT
name=Seeboden
name_local=
image_coa = Wappen at seeboden.png

state = Carinthia
regbzk =
district = Spittal an der Drau
population =6045
population_as_of = 2001
population_ref =
pop_dens =
area = 44.41
elevation = 618
lat_deg=46
lat_min=49
lat_hem=N
lon_deg=13
lon_min=31
lon_hem=E
postal_code = 9871
area_code =04762
mayor = Egon Eder (BZÖ)
website = [http://www.seeboden.at www.seeboden.at]

Seeboden is a town in the Spittal an der Drau district in Carinthia, Austria.

Geography

Location

Seeboden is located at the western end of the Millstätter See immediately next to the district capital Spittal an der Drau.

Divisions

Seeboden consists of four divisions: Lieseregg, Lieserhofen, Seeboden and Treffling. There are 22 places in the area (population in 2001 in parentheses):
* Am Tschiernock (0)
* Kötzing (108)
* Karlsdorf (155)
* Kolm (58)
* Kras (98)
* Liedweg (69)
* Lieserbrücke (815)
* Lieseregg (3)
* Lieserhofen (547)
* Litzldorf (23)
* Lumbichl (227)
* Muskanitzen (38)
* Pirk (103)
* Raufen (5)
* Sankt Wolfgang (33)
* Schloßau (87)
* Seebach (78)
* Seeboden (2783)
* Tangern (192)
* Trasischk (36)
* Treffling (468)
* Unterhaus (119)

Seeboden also contains Wirlsdorf, the nationally-famous tourism resort.

History

Up to 1850, the places in Seeboden belonged to the lands of Sommeregg, which was originally owned by the local inhabitants and had been called Lodron in Gmünd since 1651. The areas of Seeboden and Treffling were united in 1870, whereas Lieserhofen stayed as a separate area until 1973.

Originally, most of the areas were rural with little industry or trade. In recent decades, foreign traffic has become the most important trade area in Seeboden.

Population

According to the 2001 census, Seeboden has 6045 inhabitants, of which 91.4% are Austrian citizens, 1.9% are from Germany and 1.8% are from Bosnia and Herzegovina. 64.8% of the population are Roman Catholics, 25.9% are Evangelists and 2.2% are Muslims. 5.6% of the population do not subscribe to any religion.

Culture and sights

Buildings

* Sommeregg castle ruins with torture museum

Museums

* Fishing museum
* Bonsai museum

Regular events

* World Bodypainting Festival (held in Seeboden since 2001)
* Knight plays at the Sommeregg castle
* Spring concert in Seeboden chapel (on Saturday before Mothers' Day)
* Peter and Paul Festival in Wilsdorf on June 29

Others

* Millstätter See ship cruises
* Many parks and lawn areas

Politics

Council

The town council has 27 members, and since the election in 2003 the distribution is as follows:
* 13 Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ)
* 8 Austrian People's Party (ÖVP)
* 6 Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ)

Coat of arms

The coat of arms binds Seeboden's location on the Millstätter See shore (blue background and gold mermaid) with the local government history (red and silver shield of the Count of Ortenburg). It was given to the town on April 30 1970 by the Carinthian state administration. The description states::"A gold mermaid on a blue shield, carrying a red shield in her arms, which contains a red wing on a silver background between two silver wings on a red background."The town flag is red, blue and yellow with its own coat of arms.

Famous natives

* Otto Eder (1924-1982), sculptor
* Thomas Morgenstern (born 1986), Olympic-winning ski jumper
* Hannelore Gigler (born 1954), bobsleigh rider
* Herbert Haupt (born 1947), politician
* Eva Glawischnig-Piesczek (born 1969), politician

External links

* [http://www.seeboden.at/ Official site]
* [http://www.statistik.at/blickgem/gemDetail.do?gemnr=20634 Statistics and demographics]
* [http://www.bodypainting-festival.com/ World Body Painting Festival]