Ossiach facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ossiach
View across Lake Ossiach
Coat of arms
Ossiach Location in Austria
Country	Austria
State	Carinthia
District	Feldkirchen
Area
• Total	17.38 km2 (6.71 sq mi)
Elevation	749 m (2,457 ft)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	9570
Website	www.ossiach.at

Ossiach (Slovene: Osoje) is a charming village located in Carinthia, a beautiful state in Austria. It sits right on the southern shore of Lake Ossiach, a lovely lake perfect for summer fun. This small community is most famous for its old building, Ossiach Abbey.

Where is Ossiach Located?

Ossiach is found on the southern side of Lake Ossiach. It's nestled on the slopes of the small Ossiacher Tauern hills. These hills are part of the larger Nock Mountains, which are a range within the Gurktal Alps. The village is also on the road that connects the towns of Villach and Feldkirchen. The area is made up of several smaller parts, including Alt-Ossiach, Ossiach, Ostriach, Rappitsch, Tauern, and Untertauern.

A Look into Ossiach's Past

Ossiach Abbey

Ossiach Abbey, a very old monastery, was started around the year 1000. The church of the monastery was first mentioned in a document from 1028. This makes it the very first monastery of the Benedictine Order in the area known as the Duchy of Carinthia.

The Abbey's Importance and Changes

The abbey grew to be a very important place for both religion and culture in the region. However, a large town didn't grow up around its walls. In 1783, Emperor Joseph II ordered the monastery to be closed. After that, the rural area became part of the nearby town of Steindorf starting in 1850. Ossiach didn't become its own separate municipality until 1904.

Ossiach Today: Music and Culture

Today, the old monastery church is famous for hosting the Carinthischer Sommer classical music festival. This festival happens every year around July and August. Many famous musicians have performed here. For example, the well-known pianist Wilhelm Backhaus gave his very last concert in Ossiach on June 29, 1969.

Since 1974, the abbey has also put on special church opera shows. These often include the parables (stories with a moral lesson) by Benjamin Britten. Other plays are also performed. Some Austrian writers have even created new works especially for this festival. These include Das Spiel vom Menschen by Cesar Bresgen in 1982 and Bruder Boleslaw by Dieter Kaufmann in 1989.

The Tauernkirche Chapel

There is also a small church, called a chapel of ease, in the village of Tauern. This chapel, known as the Tauernkirche, was first mentioned in 1290. It was rebuilt in 1519 in a Late Gothic style. Later, in the 17th century, it received beautiful Baroque decorations, including a high altar.

Neighboring Towns and Villages

Ossiach is surrounded by several other communities. Here are some of its neighbors:

Steindorf	Himmelberg
Treffen		Feldkirchen in Kärnten
Villach	Wernberg	Velden am Wörther See

See also

In Spanish: Ossiach para niños