Linz
Encyclopedia
Linz is the third-largest city of Austria
and capital of the state
of Upper Austria
. It is located in the north centre of Austria, approximately 30 km (18.6 mi) south of the Czech
border, on both sides of the river Danube
. The population of the city is , and that of the Greater Linz conurbation
is about 271,000.
, who called it Lentia. The name Linz was first recorded in AD 799, after Bavaria
ns expanded south and Linz became a center of trade.
, and an important trading point connecting several routes, on either side of the river Danube from the East to the West and Bohemia
and Poland
from north to the Balkans
and Italy to the south. Being the city where the Habsburg
Emperor
Friedrich III
spent his last years, it was, for a short period of time, the most important city in the empire. It lost its status to Vienna
and Prague
after the death of the Emperor in 1493.
One important inhabitant of the city was Johannes Kepler
, who spent several years of his life in the city teaching mathematics. He discovered, on 15 May 1618, the distance-cubed-over-time-squared — or 'third' — law of planetary motion
. The local public university, Johannes Kepler University, is named for him. Another famous citizen was Anton Bruckner
, who spent the years between 1855 and 1868 working as a local composer and church organist in the city. The local concert hall "Brucknerhaus" and a local private music and arts university are named after him.
was born in the border town of Braunau am Inn
but moved to Linz in his childhood. Hitler spent most of his youth in the Linz area, from 1898 until 1907, when he left for Vienna. The family lived first in the village of Leonding
on the outskirts of town, and then in an apartment on the Humboldtstrasse in Linz itself. Hitler's parents are buried in Leonding. After elementary education in Leonding, Hitler was enrolled in the Realschule (school) in Linz, as was the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein
. Notorious Holocaust architect Adolf Eichmann
also spent his youth in Linz.
The association of the city with Hitler's childhood warranted an allusion in a poem by W.H. Auden, September 1, 1939
: "Accurate scholarship can/Unearth the whole offense/ From Luther until now/ That has driven a culture mad, Find what occurred at Linz...." To the end of his life, Hitler considered Linz to be his "home town", and envisioned extensive architectural schemes for it, wanting it to become the main cultural centre of the Third Reich. In order to make the city economically vibrant, Hitler initiated a major industrialization of Linz shortly before, and during, World War II. Many factories were dismantled in the newly-acquired Czechoslovakia
and then reassembled in Linz, including the Hermann-Göring-Werke (now Voestalpine
). In addition to an ordnance depot, Linz has a benzol (oil)http://books.google.com/books?id=_HkHU5RJJekC&pg=PA261 plant which was bombed during the Oil Campaign
on 16 October 1944.
The Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp
, located near Linz, was the last Nazi
concentration camps to be liberated by the Allies. While in operation, they were the source of quarrying for stone for Hitler's prestige projects across the Reich. The main camp in Mauthausen
is just 25 kilometres (15.5 mi) away from Linz.
. On 12 February 1934 the police arrived at the Hotel Schiff
to search for weapons. This was a major facility for the SDAPÖ including their paramilitary force, the Schutzbund.
. The Nibelungen Brücke with the two bridge head buildings is the only architectural plan Hitler ever carried out in Linz.
The agglomeration includes (parts of) 13 other municipalities with together 271,000 inhabitants. Linz is also part of the Linz-Wels-Steyr metropolitan area
of Upper Austria
, home to around one third of the state's population (460,000 people) and second-largest urban area in Austria.
city. The Voestalpine AG is a large steel concern (founded as the "Hermann Göring
Werke" during World War II), and which is known for the LD- ("Linz-Donawitz"
) procedure for the production of steel, and the former "Chemie Linz" chemical group, which has been split up into several companies. This has made Linz one of Austria's most important economic centres. Linz is also the home of Pez
( makers of peppermint candy).
The "Blue Danube" Linz Airport
lies about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) southwest of the town centre. Direct flights include Frankfurt
, Düsseldorf
and Vienna with additional seasonal routes added during the summer and winter months. Ryanair
flies to London Stansted Airport
and Air Berlin
flies to Berlin-Tegel Airport.
The city also has a Hauptbahnhof
on Austria's main rail axis, the West railway, linking Vienna with western Austria, Germany and Switzerland. There are also varying types of river transport on the Danube, from industrial barges to tourist cruise ships.
Local public transport
is provided by tram
s, buses and trolleybus
es, operated by Linz Linien GmbH (part of Linz AG). The Pöstlingbergbahn
is a tramway which climbs a small mountain at the northwest edge of the town.
epidemics.
Near the castle, being the former seat of Friedrich the III — the oldest Austrian church is located: Sankt/Saint Martins church. It was built during early medieval Carolingian
times.
Other points of interest include:
and the "Brucknerhaus", is the "Donaulände", which is also referred to as "Kulturmeile" ("culture mile"). This is a park alongside the river, which is used mainly by young people to relax and meet in summer. It is also used for the Ars Electronica
Festival and the "Linz Fest". Linz has other culture institutions, such as the Posthof, which is near the harbour, and the Stadtwerkstatt
, which is by the Danube river. The Pflasterspektakel
, an international street art festival, takes place each year in July in and around the Landstraße and the main square.
Linz was the European Capital of Culture
in 2009, along with Vilnius
, the capital of Lithuania
.
(2003) is a modern art gallery, presenting art from the 20th and 21st centuries. It is situated on the south banks of the river Danube. The building can be illuminated at night from the inside with blue, pink, red, and violet, due to its glass casing.
The Ars Electronica Center
(AEC) is a museum and research facility on the north bank of the Danube (in the Urfahr district), across the river from the Hauptplatz (main square). The AEC is a significant world center for new media arts, attracting a large gathering of technologically-oriented artists every year for the Ars Electronica
festival. The AEC museum is home to one of the few public 3D CAVEs
in Europe.
, the most important concert hall in Linz is named after Anton Bruckner. It is situated just some 200 meters away from the "Lentos". It is home to the "Bruckner Orchestra", and is frequently used for concerts, as well as Balls and other events.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
wrote his Symphony No. 36
(1783) in Linz for a concert to be given there, and the work is known today as the Linz Symphony. The first version of Anton Bruckner's Symphony No. 1 in C minor
is known as the Linz version.
Amongst the many "Gymnasien" (high school
s) in Linz, is Linz International School Auhof (LISA)
, which is one of four IB (International Baccalaureate) schools in Austria, and uses English as main language for instruction.
is annual WTA Tour
tennis tournament held in city.
Living in Linz:
Berlin-Charlottenburg
, Germany, since 1995 České Budějovice
, Czech Republic, since 1987 Chengdu
, China, since 1983 Gabès
, Tunisia
, since 1977 Halle
, Germany, since 1975 Kansas City
, United States, since 1988
Gwangyang
, South Korea
, since 1991 Linköping
, Sweden
, since 1995 Linz am Rhein
, Germany, since 1987 Modena
, Italy, since 1992 Albufeira
, Portugal, since 2008
Nizhny Novgorod
, Russia, since 1993 Norrköping
, Sweden, since 1995 San Carlos, Nicaragua, since 1988 Zaporizhia, Ukraine
, since 1983 Tampere
, Finland
, since 1995
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...
and capital of the state
States of Austria
Austria is a federal republic made up of nine states, known in German as Länder . Since Land is also the German word for a country, the term Bundesländer is often used instead to avoid ambiguity. The Constitution of Austria uses both terms...
of Upper Austria
Upper Austria
Upper Austria is one of the nine states or Bundesländer of Austria. Its capital is Linz. Upper Austria borders on Germany and the Czech Republic, as well as on the other Austrian states of Lower Austria, Styria, and Salzburg...
. It is located in the north centre of Austria, approximately 30 km (18.6 mi) south of the Czech
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
border, on both sides of the river Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
. The population of the city is , and that of the Greater Linz conurbation
Conurbation
A conurbation is a region comprising a number of cities, large towns, and other urban areas that, through population growth and physical expansion, have merged to form one continuous urban and industrially developed area...
is about 271,000.
Origins
The city was founded by the RomansRoman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
, who called it Lentia. The name Linz was first recorded in AD 799, after Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
ns expanded south and Linz became a center of trade.
Holy Roman Empire
It was a provincial and local government city of the Holy Roman EmpireHoly Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
, and an important trading point connecting several routes, on either side of the river Danube from the East to the West and Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
and Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
from north to the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
and Italy to the south. Being the city where the Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
Emperor
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
Friedrich III
Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick the Peaceful KG was Duke of Austria as Frederick V from 1424, the successor of Albert II as German King as Frederick IV from 1440, and Holy Roman Emperor as Frederick III from 1452...
spent his last years, it was, for a short period of time, the most important city in the empire. It lost its status to 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 Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
after the death of the Emperor in 1493.
One important inhabitant of the city was Johannes Kepler
Johannes Kepler
Johannes Kepler was a German mathematician, astronomer and astrologer. A key figure in the 17th century scientific revolution, he is best known for his eponymous laws of planetary motion, codified by later astronomers, based on his works Astronomia nova, Harmonices Mundi, and Epitome of Copernican...
, who spent several years of his life in the city teaching mathematics. He discovered, on 15 May 1618, the distance-cubed-over-time-squared — or 'third' — law of planetary motion
Kepler's laws of planetary motion
In astronomy, Kepler's laws give a description of the motion of planets around the Sun.Kepler's laws are:#The orbit of every planet is an ellipse with the Sun at one of the two foci....
. The local public university, Johannes Kepler University, is named for him. Another famous citizen was Anton Bruckner
Anton Bruckner
Anton Bruckner was an Austrian composer known for his symphonies, masses, and motets. The first are considered emblematic of the final stage of Austro-German Romanticism because of their rich harmonic language, complex polyphony, and considerable length...
, who spent the years between 1855 and 1868 working as a local composer and church organist in the city. The local concert hall "Brucknerhaus" and a local private music and arts university are named after him.
Adolf Hitler
Adolf HitlerAdolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
was born in the border town of Braunau am Inn
Braunau am Inn
Braunau am Inn is a town in the Innviertel region of Upper Austria , the north-western state of Austria. It lies about 90 km west of Linz and about 60 km north of Salzburg, on the border with the German state of Bavaria. The population in 2001 was 16,372...
but moved to Linz in his childhood. Hitler spent most of his youth in the Linz area, from 1898 until 1907, when he left for Vienna. The family lived first in the village of Leonding
Leonding
Leonding is a city situated to the southwest of Linz, Austria in the state of Upper Austria. It has a population of about 22,269 and an area of 24.05 km²...
on the outskirts of town, and then in an apartment on the Humboldtstrasse in Linz itself. Hitler's parents are buried in Leonding. After elementary education in Leonding, Hitler was enrolled in the Realschule (school) in Linz, as was the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein
Ludwig Wittgenstein
Ludwig Josef Johann Wittgenstein was an Austrian philosopher who worked primarily in logic, the philosophy of mathematics, the philosophy of mind, and the philosophy of language. He was professor in philosophy at the University of Cambridge from 1939 until 1947...
. Notorious Holocaust architect Adolf Eichmann
Adolf Eichmann
Adolf Otto Eichmann was a German Nazi and SS-Obersturmbannführer and one of the major organizers of the Holocaust...
also spent his youth in Linz.
The association of the city with Hitler's childhood warranted an allusion in a poem by W.H. Auden, September 1, 1939
September 1, 1939
"September 1, 1939" is a poem by W. H. Auden written on the occasion of the outbreak of World War II. It was first published in The New Republic issue of October 18, 1939, and was first published in book form in Auden's collection Another Time ....
: "Accurate scholarship can/Unearth the whole offense/ From Luther until now/ That has driven a culture mad, Find what occurred at Linz...." To the end of his life, Hitler considered Linz to be his "home town", and envisioned extensive architectural schemes for it, wanting it to become the main cultural centre of the Third Reich. In order to make the city economically vibrant, Hitler initiated a major industrialization of Linz shortly before, and during, World War II. Many factories were dismantled in the newly-acquired Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
and then reassembled in Linz, including the Hermann-Göring-Werke (now Voestalpine
Voestalpine
Voestalpine AG is an international steel company based in Linz, Austria. The company is active in steel, automotive, railway systems, profilform and tool steel industries....
). In addition to an ordnance depot, Linz has a benzol (oil)http://books.google.com/books?id=_HkHU5RJJekC&pg=PA261 plant which was bombed during the Oil Campaign
Oil Campaign of World War II
The Allied Oil Campaign of World War II was directed at facilities supplying Nazi Germany with petroleum, oil, and lubrication products...
on 16 October 1944.
The Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp
Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp
Mauthausen Concentration Camp grew to become a large group of Nazi concentration camps that was built around the villages of Mauthausen and Gusen in Upper Austria, roughly east of the city of Linz.Initially a single camp at Mauthausen, it expanded over time and by the summer of 1940, the...
, located near Linz, was the last Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
concentration camps to be liberated by the Allies. While in operation, they were the source of quarrying for stone for Hitler's prestige projects across the Reich. The main camp in Mauthausen
Mauthausen
Mauthausen is a small market town in Upper Austria, Austria. It is located at about 20 kilometers east of the city of Linz, and has a population of 4,850 .During World War II, it became the site of the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp complex....
is just 25 kilometres (15.5 mi) away from Linz.
Austrian Civil War
Linz was key location in the Austrian Civil WarAustrian Civil War
The Austrian Civil War , also known as the February Uprising , is a term sometimes used for a few days of skirmishes between socialist and conservative-fascist forces between 12 February and 16 February 1934, in Austria...
. On 12 February 1934 the police arrived at the Hotel Schiff
Hotel Schiff
The Hotel Schiff is a hotel in Linz. In 1934 it was the starting point of the Austrian Civil War.The Gasthof Zum Goldenen Schiff was built in 1788 on a site which had been used since 1563 by the Brethren of the Poor.-Cinema:...
to search for weapons. This was a major facility for the SDAPÖ including their paramilitary force, the Schutzbund.
Post-World War II
After the war, the river Danube that runs through Linz — from the western side to the south-eastern side — which separates the Urfahr district in the north from the rest of Linz — served as the border between the Russian and American occupation troops. The Nibelungen bridge that spans the Danube river from the Hauptplatz (main square) was at that time Linz's version of Checkpoint CharlieCheckpoint Charlie
Checkpoint Charlie was the name given by the Western Allies to the best-known Berlin Wall crossing point between East Berlin and West Berlin during the Cold War....
. The Nibelungen Brücke with the two bridge head buildings is the only architectural plan Hitler ever carried out in Linz.
Population development
Year | Population |
---|---|
1900 | 83,356 |
1951 | 184,685 |
1961 | 195,978 |
1971 | 204,889 |
1981 | 199,910 |
1991 | 203,044 |
2001 | 183,504 |
2006 | 188,968 |
The agglomeration includes (parts of) 13 other municipalities with together 271,000 inhabitants. Linz is also part of the Linz-Wels-Steyr metropolitan area
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
of Upper Austria
Upper Austria
Upper Austria is one of the nine states or Bundesländer of Austria. Its capital is Linz. Upper Austria borders on Germany and the Czech Republic, as well as on the other Austrian states of Lower Austria, Styria, and Salzburg...
, home to around one third of the state's population (460,000 people) and second-largest urban area in Austria.
Districts
Linz is divided into 9 districts and 36 statistical quarters. They are:- Innenstadt: Altstadtviertel, Rathausviertel, Kaplanhofviertel, Neustadtviertel, Volksgartenviertel, Römerberg-Margarethen
- Waldegg: Freinberg, Froschberg, Keferfeld, Bindermichl, Spallerhof, Wankmüllerhofviertel, Andreas-Hofer-Platz-Viertel
- Lustenau: Makartviertel, Franckviertel, Hafenviertel
- St. Peter
- Kleinmünchen: Kleinmünchen, Neue Welt, Scharlinz, Bergern, Neue Heimat, Wegscheid, Schörgenhub
- Ebelsberg
- Urfahr: Alt-Urfahr, Heilham, Hartmayrsiedlung, Harbachsiedlung, Karlhofsiedlung, Auberg
- Pöstlingberg:Pöstlingberg, Bachl-Gründberg
- St. Magdalena: St. Magdalena, Katzbach, Elmberg
Economy
Linz is an industrialIndustry
Industry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.-Industrial sectors:There are four key industrial economic sectors: the primary sector, largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming; the secondary sector, involving refining, construction,...
city. The Voestalpine AG is a large steel concern (founded as the "Hermann Göring
Hermann Göring
Hermann Wilhelm Göring, was a German politician, military leader, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. He was a veteran of World War I as an ace fighter pilot, and a recipient of the coveted Pour le Mérite, also known as "The Blue Max"...
Werke" during World War II), and which is known for the LD- ("Linz-Donawitz"
Basic oxygen steelmaking
Basic oxygen steelmaking , also known as Linz-Donawitz-Verfahren steelmaking or the oxygen converter process is a method of primary steelmaking in which carbon-rich molten pig iron is made into steel. Blowing oxygen through molten pig iron lowers the carbon content of the alloy and changes it into...
) procedure for the production of steel, and the former "Chemie Linz" chemical group, which has been split up into several companies. This has made Linz one of Austria's most important economic centres. Linz is also the home of Pez
PEZ
Pez is the brand name of an Austrian confectionery and the mechanical pocket dispensers for the same...
( makers of peppermint candy).
Transport
Linz serves as an important transportation hub for the region of both Upper Austria and, to a lesser degree, southern Bohemia.The "Blue Danube" Linz Airport
Linz Airport
Linz Airport , also known as Blue Danube Airport , is an airport near Linz, Austria.-Airlines and destinations:-Cargo airlines:-Accidents and incidents:...
lies about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) southwest of the town centre. Direct flights include Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
, Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
and Vienna with additional seasonal routes added during the summer and winter months. Ryanair
Ryanair
Ryanair is an Irish low-cost airline. Its head office is at Dublin Airport and its primary operational bases at Dublin Airport and London Stansted Airport....
flies to London Stansted Airport
London Stansted Airport
-Cargo:-Statistics:-Infrastructure:-Terminal and satellite buildings:Stansted is the newest passenger airport of all the main London airports. The terminal is an oblong glass building, and is separated in to three areas: Check-in concourse, arrivals and departures...
and Air Berlin
Air Berlin
Air Berlin PLC & Co. Luftverkehrs KG is Germany's second largest airline, after Lufthansa, and Europe's sixth largest airline in terms of passengers....
flies to Berlin-Tegel Airport.
The city also has a Hauptbahnhof
Linz Hauptbahnhof
is the Hauptbahnhof at Linz, the third largest city in Austria, and capital city of the federal state of Upper Austria.Opened in 1858, the station is the centrepiece of the Linz transport hub...
on Austria's main rail axis, the West railway, linking Vienna with western Austria, Germany and Switzerland. There are also varying types of river transport on the Danube, from industrial barges to tourist cruise ships.
Local public transport
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
is provided by tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
s, buses and trolleybus
Trolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
es, operated by Linz Linien GmbH (part of Linz AG). The Pöstlingbergbahn
Pöstlingbergbahn
The Pöstlingbergbahn is a narrow-gauge electric railway, or "mountain tramway", in Linz, Austria. It connects the main square in the center of Linz with the district of Pöstlingberg, located at the top of a hill at the northern end of the city...
is a tramway which climbs a small mountain at the northwest edge of the town.
Points of interest
The main street "Landstraße" leads from the "Blumauerplatz" to "Taubenmarkt" (Pigeonmarket) near the main square. In the middle of the main square the high "Pestsäule" ("plague column", also known as "Dreifaltigkeitssäule" (Dreifaltigkeit means Holy Trinity)) was built to remember the people who died in the plagueBlack 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...
epidemics.
Near the castle, being the former seat of Friedrich the III — the oldest Austrian church is located: Sankt/Saint Martins church. It was built during early medieval Carolingian
Carolingian
The Carolingian dynasty was a Frankish noble family with origins in the Arnulfing and Pippinid clans of the 7th century AD. The name "Carolingian", Medieval Latin karolingi, an altered form of an unattested Old High German *karling, kerling The Carolingian dynasty (known variously as the...
times.
Other points of interest include:
- St. Mary's Cathedral (Mariendom), Roman Catholic., in Gothic-Revival style
- Pöstlingberg-Kirche: pilgrimage church on the Pöstlingberg hill
- Brucknerhaus — the concert hall named after the composer Anton Bruckner, who was born in AnsfeldenAnsfeldenAnsfelden is a town in Upper Austria, Austria, located 289 metres above sea level, with a population of about 15300. The rivers Traun and Krems run through the municipality...
, a small town next to Linz. - Gugl Stadium, is home to the LASKLASK LinzLASK Linz is an Austrian association football club, from the Upper-Austrian state capital Linz. It is the oldest football club hailing from that region, and currently plays in the Austrian Football First League. The club's colours are black and white...
(Linzer Athletik Sport Klub), which is claimed to be the third oldest football club in Austria. - The Linzer Landestheater
Culture
The city is now home to a vibrant music and arts scene that is well-funded by the city and the state of Upper Austria. Between the Lentos Art MuseumLentos Art Museum
As the successor of the New Gallery of the City of Linz, the Lentos Art Museum, which opened in May 2003, is among the most important museums of modern art in Austria....
and the "Brucknerhaus", is the "Donaulände", which is also referred to as "Kulturmeile" ("culture mile"). This is a park alongside the river, which is used mainly by young people to relax and meet in summer. It is also used for the Ars Electronica
Ars Electronica
Ars Electronica is an organization based in Linz, Austria, founded in 1979 around a festival for art, technology and society that was part of the International Bruckner Festival. Herbert W. Franke is one of its founders. It became its own festival and a yearly event in 1986. Its director until 1995...
Festival and the "Linz Fest". Linz has other culture institutions, such as the Posthof, which is near the harbour, and the Stadtwerkstatt
Stadtwerkstatt
The Stadtwerkstatt in Linz, Upper Austria was founded in 1979 by students from the art university and cultural activists. First initiated as a reaction to the main square being "concreted over", the Stadtwerkstatt developed into a center of culture and communication that has been located since 1990...
, which is by the Danube river. The Pflasterspektakel
Pflasterspektakel
The Pflasterspektakel is an annual street art festival in Linz, the capital of Upper Austria. It includes musical acts, juggling, acrobatics, pantomime, improvisational theatre, clownery, fire dancing, painting, samba parades, as well as a programme for children, and is held on three days in July...
, an international street art festival, takes place each year in July in and around the Landstraße and the main square.
Linz was the European Capital of Culture
European Capital of Culture
The European Capital of Culture is a city designated by theEuropean Union for a period of one calendar year during which it organises a series of cultural events with a strong European dimension....
in 2009, along with Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
, the capital of Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
.
Art
The recently built LentosLentos Art Museum
As the successor of the New Gallery of the City of Linz, the Lentos Art Museum, which opened in May 2003, is among the most important museums of modern art in Austria....
(2003) is a modern art gallery, presenting art from the 20th and 21st centuries. It is situated on the south banks of the river Danube. The building can be illuminated at night from the inside with blue, pink, red, and violet, due to its glass casing.
The Ars Electronica Center
Ars Electronica Center
The Ars Electronica Center is a center for electronic arts run by Ars Electronica situated in Linz, Austria, at the northern side of the Danube opposite the city hall of Linz. It has been built on the right side of the Nibelungenbrücke....
(AEC) is a museum and research facility on the north bank of the Danube (in the Urfahr district), across the river from the Hauptplatz (main square). The AEC is a significant world center for new media arts, attracting a large gathering of technologically-oriented artists every year for the Ars Electronica
Ars Electronica
Ars Electronica is an organization based in Linz, Austria, founded in 1979 around a festival for art, technology and society that was part of the International Bruckner Festival. Herbert W. Franke is one of its founders. It became its own festival and a yearly event in 1986. Its director until 1995...
festival. The AEC museum is home to one of the few public 3D CAVEs
Cave Automatic Virtual Environment
A Cave Automatic Virtual Environment is an immersive virtual reality environment where projectors are directed to three, four, five or six of the walls of a room-sized cube...
in Europe.
Music
The BrucknerhausBrucknerhaus
The Brucknerhaus is a festival and congress centre in Linz, Austria named after the Austrian composer Anton Bruckner Its construction took place from 1969 to 1973. It opened on 23 March 1974....
, the most important concert hall in Linz is named after Anton Bruckner. It is situated just some 200 meters away from the "Lentos". It is home to the "Bruckner Orchestra", and is frequently used for concerts, as well as Balls and other events.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
wrote his Symphony No. 36
Symphony No. 36 (Mozart)
The Symphony No. 36 in C major, KV 425, was written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart during a stopover in the Austrian town of Linz on his and his wife's way back home to Vienna from Salzburg in late 1783. The entire symphony was written in four days to accommodate the local count's announcement, upon...
(1783) in Linz for a concert to be given there, and the work is known today as the Linz Symphony. The first version of Anton Bruckner's Symphony No. 1 in C minor
Symphony No. 1 (Bruckner)
Anton Bruckner's Symphony No. 1 in C minor was the first symphony the composer thought worthy of performing, and bequeathing to the Vienna national library. Chronologically, it comes after the Study Symphony in F minor and before Symphony No. 0 in D minor. The first version of the Symphony No. 2...
is known as the Linz version.
Colleges and universities
- The Johannes Kepler UniversityJohannes Kepler University of LinzThe Johannes Kepler University of Linz is a public institution of higher education in Linz, the capital of Upper Austria...
is situated in the north-east of Linz, and hosts law, business, social sciences, engineering, and science faculties; about 13416 students (October 2007) are enrolled. A spin-off of the university, as well as a FachhochschuleFachhochschuleA Fachhochschule or University of Applied Sciences is a German type of tertiary education institution, sometimes specialized in certain topical areas . Fachhochschulen were founded in Germany and later adopted by Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Greece...
for various computer-related studies, (polytechnic) is located 20 miles (32.2 km) north of Linz in the small town of Hagenberg im MühlkreisHagenberg im MühlkreisHagenberg im Mühlkreis is a town in the district of Freistadt in Upper Austria in Austria, 20 km from Linz. Hagenberg became known for Softwarepark Hagenberg a major technology park focusing on IT, with research, education and business....
. Linz also hosts three other universities: - University of Arts and Industrial Design LinzUniversity of Arts and Industrial Design LinzThe University of Arts and Industrial Design Linz is one of four universities in Linz, the capital of Upper Austria.At present, approximately 800 students are enrolled.-External links:* *...
, public, for arts and industrial design (approx. 800 students) - Anton Bruckner Private University for Music, Drama, and DanceAnton Bruckner Private University for Music, Drama, and DanceAnton Bruckner Private University for Music, Drama, and Dance is one of four universities in Linz, the capital of Upper Austria. It has ca...
(private) for music (approx. 800 students) - Catholic-Theological Private University LinzCatholic-Theological Private University LinzThe Catholic-Theological Private University Linz is one of four universities in Linz, the capital of Upper Austria, with approximately 500 students enrolled. Its roots go back to 1672 and it is a Papal faculty since 1978...
(private) for Catholic theology (approx. 400 students), which has been a Papal faculty since 1978.
Amongst the many "Gymnasien" (high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
s) in Linz, is Linz International School Auhof (LISA)
Linz International School Auhof (LISA)
Linz International School Auhof is a Public secondary school offering the International Baccalaureate Diploma as well as the Austrian school leaving certificate . The language of instruction is English. LISA is administrated as one of three school branches of the Europagymnasium Auhof...
, which is one of four IB (International Baccalaureate) schools in Austria, and uses English as main language for instruction.
Sports
Generali Ladies LinzGenerali Ladies Linz
The Generali Ladies Linz is a tennis tournament held in Linz, Austria. Held since 1987, this WTA Tour event is a Tier II-tournament and is played on indoor hardcourts...
is annual WTA Tour
Women's Tennis Association
The Women's Tennis Association , founded in 1973 by Billie Jean King, is the principal organizing body of Women's Professional Tennis. It governs the WTA Tour which is the worldwide professional tennis tour for women. Its counterpart organization in the men's professional game is the Association of...
tennis tournament held in city.
Born in Linz
- Mary Anne of AustriaMary Anne of AustriaMaria Anna of Austria was an Archduchess of Austria and Queen consort of Portugal. She was also Regent of Portugal from 1742 until 1750 during the illness of her husband King John V of Portugal....
(1683–1754), Queen consort of Portugal - Alois RieglAlois RieglAlois Riegl was an Austrian art historian, and is considered a member of the Vienna School of Art History...
(1858–1905) art historian - Hermann BahrHermann BahrHermann Bahr was an Austrian writer, playwright, director, and critic.-Biography:Born and raised in Linz, Bahr studied Philosophy, Law, Economics and Philology in Vienna, Czernowitz and Berlin. During a prolonged stay in Paris he discovered his interest in literature and art...
(1863–1934) writer, playwright, director, and critic - Frederic "Fritz" Austerlitz (1868) father of Fred AstaireFred AstaireFred Astaire was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. His stage and subsequent film career spanned a total of 76 years, during which he made 31 musical films. He was named the fifth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute...
- Richard TauberRichard TauberRichard Tauber was an Austrian tenor acclaimed as one of the greatest singers of the 20th century. Some critics commented that "his heart felt every word he sang".-Early life:...
(1891–1948) tenorTenorThe tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2... - Valie ExportValie ExportValie Export is an Austrian artist...
(born 1940) artist - Waltraut CooperWaltraut CooperWaltraut Cooper , is an Austrian artist, generally described as Minimalist, primarily concerned with light and space.Waltraut Cooper studied Mathematics and Art in Vienna, Paris, Lisbon and Frankfurt....
(born 1937) artist, Pioneer of Digital Art - Herwig van StaaHerwig van StaaHerwig van Staa was the governor of Tyrol from 2002 to 2008.Van Staa was born in Linz, Upper Austria . His father, who came from the Rhine area, worked as a technician in the steelworks in Linz and died in a sick bay in 1943 after military action on the Eastern Front. His mother came from an...
(born 1942) former governor of TyrolTyrol (state)Tyrol is a state or Bundesland, located in the west of Austria. It comprises the Austrian part of the historical region of Tyrol.The state is split into two parts–called North Tyrol and East Tyrol–by a -wide strip of land where the state of Salzburg borders directly on the Italian province of... - Frank ElstnerFrank ElstnerFrank Elstner, full name Timm Maria Franz Elstner is a German television presenter.Elstner went to school in Rastatt in Germany and gained his first experience in broadcasting as a child when he acted in radio plays for the station then known as Südwestfunk, now as Südwestrundfunk, which served...
(born 1942) presenter on German television - Herbert Maneval-Slojewski (born 1946) CEO Heidi Grace Collection
- Shlomo SandShlomo SandShlomo Sand is professor of history at Tel Aviv University and author of the controversial book The Invention of the Jewish People . His main areas of interest are nationalism, film as history, and French intellectual history.- Biography :Sand was born in Linz, Austria, to Polish Jewish survivors...
(born 1946) Professor of history at Tel Aviv UniversityTel Aviv UniversityTel Aviv University is a public university located in Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel. With nearly 30,000 students, TAU is Israel's largest university.-History:...
and author of the controversial book The Invention of the Jewish PeopleThe Invention of the Jewish PeopleThe Invention of the Jewish People is a study of the historiography of the Jewish people by Shlomo Sand, Professor of History at Tel Aviv University. It has generated a heated controversy.... - Richard LinkRichard LinkRichard Link is a Canadian composer, musical director, teacher, and performer living in London. An accomplished pianist, he often music directs, conducts, and plays for his own productions.-Personal history and education:...
(born 1951) Canadian space scientist - Helmut Wiesinger (born 1952) actor, author and stage director
- Anton KoschanyAnton KoschanyAnton Koschany, is the Executive Producer of CTV W5 and the network's News Elections Unit.Anton Koschany is a television journalist with 37 years experience as a newsmagazine and documentary producer, news correspondent and program manager. During his career he has covered Canadian, American,...
(born 1953) news producer - Elisabeth TheurerElisabeth TheurerElisabeth Theurer is a horse rider from Austria, who is known as Elisabeth Max-Theurer after marriage.-Biography:...
(born 1956) horse rider - Franz Welser-MöstFranz Welser-MöstFranz Welser-Möst is an Austrian conductor who is currently the music director for the Cleveland Orchestra and the Vienna State Opera.- Biography :...
(born 1960) music director of the Cleveland OrchestraCleveland OrchestraThe Cleveland Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Cleveland, Ohio. It is one of the five American orchestras informally referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1918, the orchestra plays most of its concerts at Severance Hall...
and the Vienna State OperaVienna State OperaThe Vienna State Opera is an opera house – and opera company – with a history dating back to the mid-19th century. It is located in the centre of Vienna, Austria. It was originally called the Vienna Court Opera . In 1920, with the replacement of the Habsburg Monarchy by the First Austrian... - Franz SchumannFranz SchumannFranz Schumann is a retired Austrian professional wrestler, who was well known for his stint in Catch Wrestling Association.-Life and career:Born on December 27, 1960 in Linz, Austria, Franz Schumann had been a natural wrestler, as he had won several national championships in Austria...
(born 1960) professional wrestler - Vera LischkaVera LischkaVera Lischka is a former breaststroke swimmer from Austria, who competed for her native country at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. At the European SC Championships 1996, she won the European title in the 50m Breaststroke.Lischka won thirteen Austrian titles, and was trained by Rolf...
(born 1977) breaststroke swimmer and politician - Birgit MinichmayrBirgit MinichmayrBirgit Minichmayr is an Austrian actress and singer born in Linz, Austria. Birgit Minichmayr studied drama at the Max-Reinhardt-Seminar in Vienna.-Career:...
(born 1977) actress - Thomas MarbanThomas MarbanThomas Marban is an Austrian entrepreneur and founder of several technology startups. After incorporating one of the first web agencies in the mid-nineties, his subsequent company celum Imagine provides digital media asset management solutions for enterprise use and is among the global leaders in...
(born 1979) entrepreneur - Sybille BammerSybille BammerSybille Bammer is a former professional female tennis player from Austria. Her career high ranking is No. 19, achieved on 17 December 2007....
(born 1980) tennis player - Marco KrainerMarco KrainerMarco Krainer is an Austrian specialty chef who, among other things, works as a TV and Radio chef....
(born 1981) Austrian specialty and TV chef with connections to the United States
Living in Linz:
- Doug HammondDoug HammondDoug Hammond is a free funk/avant-garde jazz drummer, professor, composer, poet and producer from Tampa, Florida, U.S.A...
(born in Tampa, FloridaTampa, FloridaTampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
, 1942) musician. - Klaus von Pervulesko (born in InnsbruckInnsbruck- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
, 1945) actor. - Andrew EdgeAndrew EdgeAndrew Edge is a musician from Leeds, England who has played pop music, dance, synth pop and ballads. After playing in local Leeds jazz-rock bands and Working Men's Club bands, he moved to London in the late 1970s, and joined the Thompson Twins...
(born in LeedsLeedsLeeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, England, 1956) musician.
Twin towns — Sister cities
Linz is twinned with:Berlin-Charlottenburg
Charlottenburg
Charlottenburg is a locality of Berlin within the borough of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, named after Queen consort Sophia Charlotte...
, Germany, since 1995 České Budějovice
Ceské Budejovice
České Budějovice is a city in the Czech Republic. It is the largest city in the South Bohemian Region and is the political and commercial capital of the region and centre of the Roman Catholic Diocese of České Budějovice and of the University of South Bohemia and the Academy of Sciences...
, Czech Republic, since 1987 Chengdu
Chengdu
Chengdu , formerly transliterated Chengtu, is the capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China. It holds sub-provincial administrative status...
, China, since 1983 Gabès
Gabès
Gabès , also spelt Cabès, Cabes, Kabes, Gabbs and Gaps, the ancient Tacape, is the capital city of the Gabès Governorate, a province of Tunisia. It lies on the coast of the Gulf of Gabès. With a population of 116,323 it is the 6th largest Tunisian city.-History:Strabo refers to Tacape as an...
, Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
, since 1977 Halle
Halle, Saxony-Anhalt
Halle is the largest city in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is also called Halle an der Saale in order to distinguish it from the town of Halle in North Rhine-Westphalia...
, Germany, since 1975 Kansas City
Kansas City, Kansas
Kansas City is the third-largest city in the state of Kansas and is the county seat of Wyandotte County. It is a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the third largest city in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. The city is part of a consolidated city-county government known as the "Unified...
, United States, since 1988
Gwangyang
Gwangyang
Gwangyang is a city in South Jeolla Province, South Korea. Gwangyang city is the home of POSCO's Gwangyang Steel Works, the largest facility of its kind in the world.The city is also home to K-League soccer side Chunnam Dragons....
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, since 1991 Linköping
Linköping
Linköping is a city in southern middle Sweden, with 104 232 inhabitants in 2010. It is the seat of Linköping Municipality with 146 736 inhabitants and the capital of Östergötland County...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, since 1995 Linz am Rhein
Linz am Rhein
Linz am Rhein is a municipality in the district of Neuwied, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the right bank of the river Rhine near Remagen, approx. 25 km southeast of Bonn and has about 6,000 inhabitants...
, Germany, since 1987 Modena
Modena
Modena is a city and comune on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy....
, Italy, since 1992 Albufeira
Albufeira
Albufeira is a Portuguese municipality in the Faro District, Algarve region. Its name came from the Arabic: البحيرة . The city has a population of 13,646. The municipality has a population of 35,281 inhabitants and a total area of 140.6 km²...
, Portugal, since 2008
Nizhny Novgorod
Nizhny Novgorod
Nizhny Novgorod , colloquially shortened to Nizhny, is, with the population of 1,250,615, the fifth largest city in Russia, ranking after Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, and Yekaterinburg...
, Russia, since 1993 Norrköping
Norrköping
Norrköping is a city in the province of Östergötland in eastern Sweden and the seat of Norrköping Municipality, Östergötland County. The city has a population of 87,247 inhabitants in 2010, out of a municipal total of 130,050, making it Sweden's tenth largest city and eighth largest...
, Sweden, since 1995 San Carlos, Nicaragua, since 1988 Zaporizhia, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, since 1983 Tampere
Tampere
Tampere is a city in southern Finland. It is the most populous inland city in any of the Nordic countries. The city has a population of , growing to approximately 300,000 people in the conurbation and over 340,000 in the metropolitan area. Tampere is the third most-populous municipality in...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, since 1995
External links
- LinzGenesis and Museum of the History of Dentistry in Upper Austria
- StifterHaus
- Landesgalerie (Provincial gallery)
- Nordico – Museum of the City of Linz
- O.K Center for Contemporary Art
- Linz Picture tour through Linz
- 360° Panoramic Photos from Linz
- University of Arts and Industrial Design Linz
- Official homepage of Linz — The Capital of Culture 2009
- Independent Platform of Linz — European Capital of Culture 2009
- Comprehensive independent travel guide to Linz written by a local
- LISA — Linz International School Auhof
- Ars Electronica Centre
- Lentos Art Museum
- Brucknerhaus concert hall
- Linzforum Linz web site Data about the city Anton Bruckner Private University for Music, Drama, and Dance Catholic-Theological Private University Linz