Mannersdorf am Leithagebirge
Encyclopedia
Mannersdorf am Leithagebirge is a town in Austria
. It is located in the district of Bruck an der Leitha
in Lower Austria
. Mannersdorf is seated on an agricultural plain, at the base of a range of wooded hills called the Leitha Mountains
(Leithagebirge), from which it receives its full name. The town is about two miles away from the Leitha River.
Mannersdorf is the location of a fine palace built 1753-1755. It is adjacent to a large limestone
quarry
, which provided the stone for many of the historic buildings of Vienna
. Today, the quarried limestone is used for the manufacture of concrete
.
Mannersdorf lies along historical invasion routes and its history has not been entirely serene. The town was razed by invading Turkish armies in 1529 and 1683, and burnt to the ground in 1704, 1705 and 1708 by the rebelling Hungarian forces known as the Kuruzzen. In 1805, 1809, and 1810, French troops were quartered there, following successful invasions of Austria by Napoleon. Soviet troops occupied the town near the end of World War II, in 1945.
ous spring, temperature 22.5 degrees C. This spa
remained popular for about 250 years. In the mid 18th century the spa was quite fashionable, visited by members of the Imperial family including Empress Maria Theresia
. The baths continued until 1786, when they were closed by a decree of Emperor Joseph II
. The baths were reopened only much later (1928), and continue to operate today, more as a water park (with pools and a water slide) than as a traditional spa.
The composer Joseph Haydn
spent three summer months in Mannersdorf in 1753, though being only 21 and a struggling freelancer, he came not as a tourist but more or less as a servant. The ambassador of Venice
to the Austrian Empire
, Pietro Correr, visited the spa in the company of his mistress, who required the presence of the singing teacher who regularly taught her in Vienna. This was the Italian composer Nicola Porpora
. At the time, Haydn was working for Porpora as an accompanist and valet. He was placed on salary in the Correr establishment at a rate of six ducat
s per month and ate his meals with the Correr servants. The visit was a career opportunity for the young Haydn, as the famous composers Gluck and Wagenseil
heard him play.
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 located in the district of Bruck an der Leitha
Bruck an der Leitha (district)
Bezirk Bruck an der Leitha is a district of the state of Lower Austria in Austria.-Municipalities:Towns are indicated in boldface; market towns in italics; suburbs, hamlets and other subdivisions of a municipality are indicated in small characters.* Au am Leithaberge* Bad Deutsch-Altenburg* Berg*...
in 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...
. Mannersdorf is seated on an agricultural plain, at the base of a range of wooded hills called the Leitha Mountains
Leitha Mountains
The Leitha Mountains are a range of low mountains in Austria lying on the boundary between Lower Austria and Burgenland.The range is an offshoot of the Alps and forms a connection to the Carpathians to the north...
(Leithagebirge), from which it receives its full name. The town is about two miles away from the Leitha River.
Mannersdorf is the location of a fine palace built 1753-1755. It is adjacent to a large limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
quarry
Quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
, which provided the stone for many of the historic buildings of 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...
. Today, the quarried limestone is used for the manufacture of concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
.
History
The area of Mannerdorf has been inhabited since Neolithic times, as the archaeological materials in the municipal museum demonstrate. Excavations in 1981 indicate that the town itself has existed for at least 1000 years; the earliest historical mention is from 1233.Mannersdorf lies along historical invasion routes and its history has not been entirely serene. The town was razed by invading Turkish armies in 1529 and 1683, and burnt to the ground in 1704, 1705 and 1708 by the rebelling Hungarian forces known as the Kuruzzen. In 1805, 1809, and 1810, French troops were quartered there, following successful invasions of Austria by Napoleon. Soviet troops occupied the town near the end of World War II, in 1945.
The baths
In 1517, a Dr. Enzianer, who was Rector of the University of Vienna and court physician, established a bathing establishment, making use of the waters of a slightly sulfurSulfur
Sulfur or sulphur is the chemical element with atomic number 16. In the periodic table it is represented by the symbol S. It is an abundant, multivalent non-metal. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms form cyclic octatomic molecules with chemical formula S8. Elemental sulfur is a bright yellow...
ous spring, temperature 22.5 degrees C. This spa
Spa
The term spa is associated with water treatment which is also known as balneotherapy. Spa towns or spa resorts typically offer various health treatments. The belief in the curative powers of mineral waters goes back to prehistoric times. Such practices have been popular worldwide, but are...
remained popular for about 250 years. In the mid 18th century the spa was quite fashionable, visited by members of the Imperial family including Empress Maria Theresia
Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
. The baths continued until 1786, when they were closed by a decree of Emperor Joseph II
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Francis I...
. The baths were reopened only much later (1928), and continue to operate today, more as a water park (with pools and a water slide) than as a traditional spa.
Musical history
Mannersdorf was also a center of music. Prince Hildburghausen, the local aristocratic patron in the mid 18th century, put on concerts and operatic productions in his palace, and eminent composers came to the town to visit the spa.The composer Joseph Haydn
Joseph Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn , known as Joseph Haydn , was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these forms...
spent three summer months in Mannersdorf in 1753, though being only 21 and a struggling freelancer, he came not as a tourist but more or less as a servant. The ambassador of Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
to the Austrian Empire
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
, Pietro Correr, visited the spa in the company of his mistress, who required the presence of the singing teacher who regularly taught her in Vienna. This was the Italian composer Nicola Porpora
Nicola Porpora
Nicola Porpora was an Italian composer of Baroque operas and teacher of singing, whose most famous singing student was the castrato Farinelli. One of his other students was composer Matteo Capranica.-Biography:Porpora was born in Naples...
. At the time, Haydn was working for Porpora as an accompanist and valet. He was placed on salary in the Correr establishment at a rate of six ducat
Ducat
The ducat is a gold coin that was used as a trade coin throughout Europe before World War I. Its weight is 3.4909 grams of .986 gold, which is 0.1107 troy ounce, actual gold weight...
s per month and ate his meals with the Correr servants. The visit was a career opportunity for the young Haydn, as the famous composers Gluck and Wagenseil
Wagenseil
Wagenseil is a surname that may refer to: , German writer* Georg Christoph Wagenseil , 18th-century Austrian composer...
heard him play.
External links
- The municipal website of Mannersdorf am Leithagebirge (in German)
- Article from the "aeiou" online Austrian encyclopedia (in German)