Hard, Austria facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hard
Coat of arms
Location in the district
Hard Location in Austria
Country	Austria
State	Vorarlberg
District	Bregenz
Area
• Total	17.46 km2 (6.74 sq mi)
Elevation	398-400 m (−914.3 ft)
Population  (2018-01-01)
• Total	13,495
• Density	772.91/km2 (2,001.8/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	6971
Area code	05574
Vehicle registration	B
Website	www.hard.at

Hard is a town located in the western part of Vorarlberg, which is Austria's westernmost state. It sits right on the southern shores of Lake Constance, a large and beautiful lake.

Hard is known for its fun places like the Strandbad, which is a lakeside beach area, and the Grünerdamm. It also has a popular skatepark where people can practice their tricks.

Facts About Hard

Hard covers an area of about 17.46 square kilometers (6.75 square miles). The town is located between two rivers, the Bregenzer Ach and the Alpine Rhine. It also shares a border with Bregenz, which is the capital city of the Vorarlberg state.

A Look at Hard's History

Hard has a long and interesting history. In the 7th century, a group of people called the Alemanni settled near a place called Mittelweiherburg.

Around the year 1200, many trees were cleared near Lake Constance to make space for a new village. This village was named Hard, which means "forest" in Old High German. The first official mention of Hard as a community was in a document from Pope Innocent IV in 1249. This document was sent to the Mehrerau monastery.

In 1794, Samuel Vogel from Alsace started the first textile factory in Hard. This was an important step for the town's economy. Later, in 1802, common lands known as "Allmenden" were divided into private fields, pastures, and forests. In 1997, a special museum dedicated to textile printing was opened in Mittelweiherburg.

The Story of the Schwabenkinder

The Schleienlöcher nature reserve in Hard

From the 17th century until the early 1900s, many poor farming families in Vorarlberg faced tough times. They often sent their children to work as seasonal laborers in Swabia, a region in Southern Germany. These children were known as "Schwabenkinder," which means "Swabian children." The journey and work they did was called "Schwabengehen."

Hard's Coat of Arms

Every town has a special symbol, and Hard's is its coat of arms. It shows two trees and a sailboat. These symbols represent important activities from Hard's early days: logging (cutting down trees) and fishing on Lake Constance.

Getting Around Hard

Hard has its own train station, called Hard-Fussach railway station. This station serves both Hard and the nearby town of Fußach. It is part of the St. Margrethen–Lauterach line.

The station is served by the S3 and R5 regional train services. These trains are part of the Vorarlberg S-Bahn system and are operated by the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB).

Hard's Population Over Time

The number of people living in Hard has changed a lot over the years. Here's a look at how the population has grown: