Wolfsberg, Austria
Encyclopedia
Wolfsberg is the capital of the Wolfsberg district
in the Austria
n state of Carinthia
.
The town
consists of the Katastralgemeinden Aichberg, Auen, Forst, Gräbern-Prebl, Gries, Hartelsberg, Hattendorf, Hintertheißenegg, Kleinedling, Kleinwinklern, Lading, Leiwald, Michaelsdorf, Oberleidenberg, Priel, Reding, Reideben, Reisberg, Rieding, Ritzing, Schoßbach, Schwemmtratten, Sankt Jakob, Sankt Johann, Sankt Marein, Sankt Margarethen, Sankt Michael, Sankt Stefan, Thürn, Unterleidenberg, Vordergumitsch, Vordertheißenegg, Waldenstein, Weißenbach, Witra, Wolfsberg Obere Stadt and Wolfsberg Untere Stadt. It is situated within the Lavanttal Alps
in the valley of the Lavant River
, a tributary to the Drava
. The Packsattel
mountain pass connects Wolfsberg with Voitsberg
in Styria
.
The castle above the town was first mentioned as Wolfsperch in a 1178 deed of St. Paul's Abbey in the Lavanttal
, though it probably had been an estate of the Archbishopric of Bamberg since 1007. The adjacent settlement became the administrative centre of Bamberg's Carinthian territories and in 1331 received town privileges
by Bishop Werntho Schenk von Reicheneck. During the Protestant Reformation
Wolfsberg was a main area of Lutheranism
which nevertheless was suppressed by the Counter Reformation. In 1759 Maria Theresa of Austria
acquired all Bamberg lands in Carinthia. In World War II
Wolfsberg was the site of the Stalag XVIII-A
Prisoner-of-war camp
.
with:
Wolfsberg (district)
Bezirk Wolfsberg is a district of the state ofCarinthia 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.*Bad Sankt Leonhard im Lavanttal**Bad St...
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 Carinthia
Carinthia (state)
Carinthia is the southernmost Austrian state or Land. Situated within the Eastern Alps it is chiefly noted for its mountains and lakes.The main language is German. Its regional dialects belong to the Southern Austro-Bavarian group...
.
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...
consists of the Katastralgemeinden Aichberg, Auen, Forst, Gräbern-Prebl, Gries, Hartelsberg, Hattendorf, Hintertheißenegg, Kleinedling, Kleinwinklern, Lading, Leiwald, Michaelsdorf, Oberleidenberg, Priel, Reding, Reideben, Reisberg, Rieding, Ritzing, Schoßbach, Schwemmtratten, Sankt Jakob, Sankt Johann, Sankt Marein, Sankt Margarethen, Sankt Michael, Sankt Stefan, Thürn, Unterleidenberg, Vordergumitsch, Vordertheißenegg, Waldenstein, Weißenbach, Witra, Wolfsberg Obere Stadt and Wolfsberg Untere Stadt. It is situated within the Lavanttal Alps
Central Eastern Alps
The Central Eastern Alps comprise the main chain of the Eastern Alps with its highest peaks, located between the Northern Limestone Alps and the Southern Limestone Alps, from which they differ in geological composition....
in the valley of the Lavant River
Lavant River
The Lavant is a left tributary of the Drava in the Austrian state of Carinthia. It originates in the small Lavantsee at the southern slope of the Zirbenkogel mountain in Styria, then turns southeastwards and after 7 miles reaches the border to Carinthia...
, a tributary to the Drava
Drava
Drava or Drave is a river in southern Central Europe, a tributary of the Danube. It sources in Toblach/Dobbiaco, Italy, and flows east through East Tirol and Carinthia in Austria, into Slovenia , and then southeast, passing through Croatia and forming most of the border between Croatia and...
. The Packsattel
Packsattel
Packsattel is a high mountain pass in the Austrian Alps between the Lavant River valley in Carinthia and the Bundesland of Styria. It connects Pack & Preitenegg.-See also:* List of highest paved roads in Europe* List of mountain passes...
mountain pass connects Wolfsberg with Voitsberg
Voitsberg
Voitsberg is a small city in the district of Voitsberg in Styria, Austria, with a population of c. 9,700 as of 2009. It grew upon the St. Margaret church at the Tregistbach river and was first mentioned in 1220 as Civitas. Remains of the Greisenegg palace and Obervoitsberg castle can be seen...
in Styria
Styria (state)
Styria is a state or Bundesland, located in the southeast of Austria. In area it is the second largest of the nine Austrian federated states, covering 16,401 km². It borders Slovenia as well as the other Austrian states of Upper Austria, Lower Austria, Salzburg, Burgenland, and Carinthia. ...
.
The castle above the town was first mentioned as Wolfsperch in a 1178 deed of St. Paul's Abbey in the Lavanttal
St. Paul's Abbey in the Lavanttal
St. Paul's Abbey in the Lavanttal is a Benedictine monastery in the village of Sankt Paul im Lavanttal in the Austrian state of Carinthia.-History:...
, though it probably had been an estate of the Archbishopric of Bamberg since 1007. The adjacent settlement became the administrative centre of Bamberg's Carinthian territories and in 1331 received town privileges
Town privileges
Town privileges or city rights were important features of European towns during most of the second millennium.Judicially, a town was distinguished from the surrounding land by means of a charter from the ruling monarch that defined its privileges and laws. Common privileges were related to trading...
by Bishop Werntho Schenk von Reicheneck. During the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
Wolfsberg was a main area of Lutheranism
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
which nevertheless was suppressed by the Counter Reformation. In 1759 Maria Theresa of Austria
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...
acquired all Bamberg lands in Carinthia. In World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Wolfsberg was the site of the Stalag XVIII-A
Stalag XVIII-A
Stalag XVIII-A Wolfsberg and Stalag XVIII-A/Z Spittal were World War II German Army Prisoner-of-war camps located at Wolfsberg and Spittal an der Drau in the southern Austrian state of Carinthia, then part of Germany.- Timeline :...
Prisoner-of-war camp
Prisoner-of-war camp
A prisoner-of-war camp is a site for the containment of combatants captured by their enemy in time of war, and is similar to an internment camp which is used for civilian populations. A prisoner of war is generally a soldier, sailor, or airman who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or...
.
Sights
- Wolfsberg Castle, first mentioned in 1178 and rebuilt several times, last about 1846 in a Tudorbethan styleTudorbethan architectureThe Tudor Revival architecture of the 20th century , first manifested itself in domestic architecture beginning in the United Kingdom in the mid to late 19th century based on a revival of aspects of Tudor style. It later became an influence in some other countries, especially the British colonies...
. - Bayerhofen Castle, first mentioned in 1239 and rebuilt in the 16th century.
Twin towns — Sister cities
Wolfsberg, Carinthia is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with:
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