Zeltweg
Encyclopedia
Zeltweg is a town in Styria
, Austria
. It is located in the Aichfeld basin of the Mur River in Upper Styria
. Larger municipalities in the vicinity are Judenburg
, Knittelfeld
and Fohnsdorf
.
already during the 13th century. The village then was called Celtwich, its name being recorded in 1430 for the first time. During the 15th century, there were considerable difficulties resulting from famines, failed harvests and epidemics, From 1569 onwards, the Habsburg archduke Charles II of Austria
initiated the rafting
of timber down the Mur, which gained considerable importance for Zeltweg's history. During the following decades, Zeltweg grew and was a target of migration.
During the 18th century, the population shrank considerably because of the expansion of roads. In 1848, Count Hugo Henckel von Donnersmarck
, who came from Upper Silesia
, decided to relocate his family's smeltery
from Carinthian Frantschach-Sankt Gertraud
to the site. This industrial revolution
brought a boom for Zeltweg. A railway station was built in 1868. Zeltweg was detached from neighbouring Fohnsdorf as a municipality in its own right and the first mayor, Heinrich Dillinger, was elected in 1875.
After the Austrian Anschluss
in 1938, the Zeltweg ironworks were incorporated into the Reichswerke Hermann Göring
conglomerate, employing numerous unfree labour
ers during World War II
. At the end of the war, Zeltweg was first occupied by Soviet
and then British
troops. Still, there was an upswing both in education and in industry after the war. Zeltweg received town privileges
on 1 January 1966.
Zeltweg's main attraction is the Farrach Palace, built by Carl Friedrich von Teufenbach between 1670 and 1680 in the style of an Italian
Renaissance
palace
. Stucco
works were installed inside.
Since 1986, the palace is owned by Anton and Ingrid Hartleb, who refurbished it and transformed it a site for cultural and artistic events.
Zeltweg's coat of arms is a cog and a human sized one was erected at the railway bridge to show that Zeltweg was an industrial town.
, the packaging industry, and timber
. Furthermore, Austria's largest military airport, Zeltweg Airfield
(Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser) operated by the Austrian Air Force
is located here, which was built in 1937.
was used for a Formula One
Grand Prix
as early as 1964. Nearby, in Spielberg, there used to be the Formula One track known first as Österreichring
, later as A1-Ring
, where races were held from 1970 to 1987 and from 1997 to 2003. The last Grand Prix
took place in late May 2003, whreafter the track was dismantled.
The project of refurbishing the circuit and using it again for motorsports, as had been planned by its owner Red Bull GmbH
, foundered on the environmental impact assessment
. Nevertheless, the Spielberg Red Bull Ring will re-open hosting the third round of the 2011 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters season
on 5 June 2011.
traffic, as a large proportion of the traffic coming from Wolfsberg
and Obdach
(including log wood, hacked wooed and packaged goods) had to be brought through the town. For that reason, a by-pass was built and opened on November 3, 2004. The expressway
is 4.5km long, cost € 11 million and also saves Judenburg and Fisching from traffic.
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. ...
, 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...
. It is located in the Aichfeld basin of the Mur River in Upper Styria
Upper Styria
In the Austrian usage of the term, Upper Styria refers exclusively to the northwestern, generally mountainous and well wooded half of the federal state of Styria, the southwestern half of the state around the capital of Graz being known as Mittelsteiermark , which is further divided into Eastern...
. Larger municipalities in the vicinity are Judenburg
Judenburg
- People :* Renate Götschl* Egon Haar * Herbert Hufnagl, journalist * Gernot Jurtin* Christian Muthspiel, jazz musician, painter* Kurt Muthspiel, composer * Wolfgang Muthspiel* Christian Pfannberger* Walter Pfrimer* Georg Pichler...
, Knittelfeld
Knittelfeld
Knittelfeld is a city in Styria, Austria, located on the banks of the Mur river.The name of the town has become notorious for the Knittelfeld Putsch of September 7, 2002, a party meeting of the Freedom Party of Austria, which resulted in the 2002 Austrian elections.-External links:* *...
and Fohnsdorf
Fohnsdorf
Fohnsdorf is a municipality in the district of Judenburg in Styria, Austria....
.
History
Some farms were recorded at Zeltweg in the Duchy of StyriaDuchy of Styria
The history of Styria concerns the region roughly corresponding to the modern Austrian state of Styria and the Slovene region of Styria from its settlement by Germans and Slavs in the Dark Ages until the present...
already during the 13th century. The village then was called Celtwich, its name being recorded in 1430 for the first time. During the 15th century, there were considerable difficulties resulting from famines, failed harvests and epidemics, From 1569 onwards, the Habsburg archduke Charles II of Austria
Charles II, Archduke of Austria
Charles II Francis of Austria was an Archduke of Austria and ruler of Inner Austria from 1564...
initiated the rafting
Timber rafting
Timber rafting is a log transportation method in which logs are tied together into rafts and drifted or pulled across a water body or down a flatter river. It is arguably the second cheapest method of transportation of timber, next after log driving...
of timber down the Mur, which gained considerable importance for Zeltweg's history. During the following decades, Zeltweg grew and was a target of migration.
During the 18th century, the population shrank considerably because of the expansion of roads. In 1848, Count Hugo Henckel von Donnersmarck
Hugo Henckel von Donnersmarck
Hugo Graf Henckel von Donnersmarck was a German-Austrian entrepreneur.-Biography:...
, who came from Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia. Since the 9th century, Upper Silesia has been part of Greater Moravia, the Duchy of Bohemia, the Piast Kingdom of Poland, again of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown and the Holy Roman Empire, as well as of...
, decided to relocate his family's smeltery
Smelting
Smelting is a form of extractive metallurgy; its main use is to produce a metal from its ore. This includes iron extraction from iron ore, and copper extraction and other base metals from their ores...
from Carinthian Frantschach-Sankt Gertraud
Frantschach-Sankt Gertraud
Frantschach-Sankt Gertraud is a town in the district of Wolfsberg in Carinthia in Austria.-References:...
to the site. This industrial revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
brought a boom for Zeltweg. A railway station was built in 1868. Zeltweg was detached from neighbouring Fohnsdorf as a municipality in its own right and the first mayor, Heinrich Dillinger, was elected in 1875.
After the Austrian Anschluss
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
in 1938, the Zeltweg ironworks were incorporated into the Reichswerke Hermann Göring
Reichswerke Hermann Göring
Reichswerke Hermann Göring was an industrial conglomerate of Nazi Germany. It was established in July 1937 to extract and process domestic iron ores from Salzgitter that were deemed uneconomical by the privately held steel mills...
conglomerate, employing numerous unfree labour
Unfree labour
Unfree labour includes all forms of slavery as well as all other related institutions .-Payment for unfree labour:If payment occurs, it may be in one or more of the following forms:...
ers during 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...
. At the end of the war, Zeltweg was first occupied by Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and then British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
troops. Still, there was an upswing both in education and in industry after the war. Zeltweg 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...
on 1 January 1966.
Main sights
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
palace
Palace
A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word itself is derived from the Latin name Palātium, for Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills in Rome. In many parts of Europe, the...
. Stucco
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
works were installed inside.
Since 1986, the palace is owned by Anton and Ingrid Hartleb, who refurbished it and transformed it a site for cultural and artistic events.
Zeltweg's coat of arms is a cog and a human sized one was erected at the railway bridge to show that Zeltweg was an industrial town.
Economy
The most important industries are mechanical engineeringMechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
, the packaging industry, and timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
. Furthermore, Austria's largest military airport, Zeltweg Airfield
Zeltweg Airfield
Zeltweg Airfield, now known as Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser, is a military airfield in Styria, Austria near Zeltweg. It is the main airfield of the Austrian Air Force.-Motorsports:...
(Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser) operated by the Austrian Air Force
Austrian Air Force
The Austrian Air Force is a component part of the Austrian armed forces .-History:The Austrian Air Force was formed in May 1955 by the victorious Allied powers, subject to restrictions on its use of guided missiles...
is located here, which was built in 1937.
Formula One
The Zeltweg AirfieldZeltweg Airfield
Zeltweg Airfield, now known as Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser, is a military airfield in Styria, Austria near Zeltweg. It is the main airfield of the Austrian Air Force.-Motorsports:...
was used for a Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
Grand Prix
Grand Prix motor racing
Grand Prix motor racing has its roots in organised automobile racing that began in France as far back as 1894. It quickly evolved from a simple road race from one town to the next, to endurance tests for car and driver...
as early as 1964. Nearby, in Spielberg, there used to be the Formula One track known first as Österreichring
Österreichring
The Red Bull Ring is an Austrian race circuit in Spielberg, Styria.The race circuit was founded as Österreichring and hosted the Formula One Austrian Grand Prix for 18 consecutive years, from to . It was later shortened, rebuilt and renamed the A1-Ring, it hosted the Austrian Grand Prix again from...
, later as A1-Ring
Österreichring
The Red Bull Ring is an Austrian race circuit in Spielberg, Styria.The race circuit was founded as Österreichring and hosted the Formula One Austrian Grand Prix for 18 consecutive years, from to . It was later shortened, rebuilt and renamed the A1-Ring, it hosted the Austrian Grand Prix again from...
, where races were held from 1970 to 1987 and from 1997 to 2003. The last Grand Prix
Grand Prix motor racing
Grand Prix motor racing has its roots in organised automobile racing that began in France as far back as 1894. It quickly evolved from a simple road race from one town to the next, to endurance tests for car and driver...
took place in late May 2003, whreafter the track was dismantled.
The project of refurbishing the circuit and using it again for motorsports, as had been planned by its owner Red Bull GmbH
Red Bull GmbH
Red Bull GmbH is an Austrian company which sells the Red Bull energy drink. In 2010, more than 4.204 billion cans were sold in over 161 countries. 7,758 employees generated 3.78 billion euros in revenue...
, foundered on the environmental impact assessment
Environmental impact assessment
An environmental impact assessment is an assessment of the possible positive or negative impact that a proposed project may have on the environment, together consisting of the natural, social and economic aspects....
. Nevertheless, the Spielberg Red Bull Ring will re-open hosting the third round of the 2011 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters season
2011 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters season
The 2011 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters season is a multi-event motor racing series largely based in Germany for highly-modified touring car racing cars and is one of the most popular sedan car based motor racing series in the world. The series features professional motor racing teams and drivers is...
on 5 June 2011.
Transportation
The center of Zeltweg was strongly polluted by truckTruck
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
traffic, as a large proportion of the traffic coming from Wolfsberg
Wolfsberg, Austria
Wolfsberg is the capital of the Wolfsberg district in the Austrian state of Carinthia.The town consists of the Katastralgemeinden Aichberg, Auen, Forst, Gräbern-Prebl, Gries, Hartelsberg, Hattendorf, Hintertheißenegg, Kleinedling, Kleinwinklern, Lading, Leiwald, Michaelsdorf, Oberleidenberg,...
and Obdach
Obdach
Obdach is a municipality in the district of Judenburg in Styria, Austria....
(including log wood, hacked wooed and packaged goods) had to be brought through the town. For that reason, a by-pass was built and opened on November 3, 2004. The expressway
Limited-access road
A limited-access road known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway and expressway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which has many or most characteristics of a controlled-access highway , including limited or no access to adjacent...
is 4.5km long, cost € 11 million and also saves Judenburg and Fisching from traffic.