- Leoben
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This article is about the city in Austria. For the Battlestar Galactica character, see Leoben Conoy.
Leoben Main square and old city hall
LeobenCountry Austria State Styria District Leoben Mayor Matthias Konrad (SPÖ) Area 107.74 km2 (42 sq mi) Elevation 541 m (1775 ft) Population 24,600 (1 January 2011)[1] - Density 228 /km² (591 /sq mi) Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) Licence plate LE Postal code 8700 Area code 03842 Website www.leoben.at, www.leoben.cc Coordinates: 47°22′54″N 15°05′50″E / 47.38167°N 15.09722°E
Leoben is a Styrian city in central Austria, located by the Mur river. With a population of about 25,000 it is a local industrial center 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 Center Leoben is a prison designed by architect Josef Hohensinn, which was completed in 2005.
Contents
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. Xaver, 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. 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 Beer 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 theater in Austria.[2]
Tradition & Avantgarde
Leoben around 1900.
View on Leoben in 2009.Leoben was shaped for centuries by the trade with 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 citylife. Examples are the Miners Parade, the St. Barbara Celebration or the Ledersprung ("Leatherjump"). 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 theater in Austria.
Notable people
See also Category: People from Leoben.- Walter Schachner (aka "Schoko"), football trainer
- Martin Weinek, actor
- Roland Linz, football player
- Wilfried Morawetz, botanist[3]
- Egon Kapellari, bishop
References
- ^ Statistik Austria - Bevölkerung zu Jahres- und Quartalsanfang, 2011-01-01.
- ^ City of Leoben: A City on the move. In: City of Leoben
- ^ de:Wilfried Morawetz
External links
Categories:- Cities and towns in Styria
- Leoben
- Styria geography stubs
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