St. Veit an der Glan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
St. Veit an der Glan
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Market place
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 St. Veit an der Glan
Location in Austria
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| Country | Austria | |
| State | Carinthia | |
| District | Sankt Veit an der Glan | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 50.79 km2 (19.61 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 482 m (1,581 ft) | |
| Population
(2018-01-01)
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| • Total | 12,547 | |
| • Density | 247.04/km2 (639.82/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) | |
| Postal code |
9300
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| Area code | 04212 | |
| Website | www.stveit.carinthia.at | |
St. Veit an der Glan is a historic town in Austria. It is located in the state of Carinthia and serves as the main town for the Sankt Veit an der Glan District. For a long time, until 1518, St. Veit was the capital city of Carinthia. A famous chef, Wolfgang Puck, was born here in 1949.
Contents
Where is St. Veit an der Glan Located?
Geography of the Town
St. Veit is found in the valley of the Glan River. This area is part of the Gurktal Alps. The Glan River flows through the town and then reaches the flat Zollfeld plain in Central Carinthia. From there, it continues south towards Maria Saal and the state capital, Klagenfurt am Wörthersee.
How is the Town Divided?
St. Veit is made up of six main areas called Katastralgemeinden: Galling, Hörzendorf, Niederdorf, Projern, Sankt Donat, and Tanzenberg. The town is also divided into smaller districts. The largest district is St. Veit an der Glan itself, with over 11,000 people living there.
A Look at St. Veit an der Glan's Past
Early History and Founding
Archaeological finds show that people lived in this area as far back as the Carolingian period. A local story says the town was founded after a battle in 901. In this battle, forces from Bavaria fought against invading Magyars.
The town was first officially mentioned in a document from 1131. It talked about a Saint Vitus Church belonging to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gurk. Later, in 1137, the church was "bought back" by the Bishopric of Bamberg.
St. Veit as Carinthia's Capital
By 1149, St. Veit became an important place. It was the home of Duke Heinrich V of Carinthia. He even welcomed King Konrad III of Germany here.
Later, Duke Hermann II made St. Veit the permanent home and capital of the Carinthian duchy in 1176. It remained the capital until 1518. Herman's son, Bernhard von Spanheim, built the ducal castle and town defenses. In 1224, he gave St. Veit its town privileges.
Bernhard's court was very grand. Famous poets and singers, called minnesingers, visited him. These included Walther von der Vogelweide in 1214, and Ulrich von Liechtenstein. St. Veit might also be where Heinrich von dem Türlin wrote his famous poem, Diu Crône.
Later Rulers and Traditions
After 1269, the Carinthian duchy changed hands several times. It eventually became part of the lands ruled by the House of Habsburg from Austria.
In 1362, Duke Rudolf IV allowed the people of St. Veit to hold an annual fair called Wiesenmarkt. This fair is still held today and is one of the oldest festivals in Central Europe. The town hall was built in 1468, and the current ducal castle dates from the 15th and 16th centuries.
Who Lives in St. Veit an der Glan?
Population and Background
In 2001, St. Veit had a population of 12,045 people. Most of the residents, about 92.5%, were Austrian. Other groups included people from South Slavic countries (2.3%) and Bosnia (2.2%).
Religious Beliefs
About 74% of the people in St. Veit are Roman Catholic. Around 8.6% are Lutherans/Protestants, and 4.3% are Muslims. About 10.2% of the population do not follow any specific religion.
What Industries are in St. Veit?
The town is home to Jacques Lemans GmbH, a company that makes watches and jewelry. This company sells its products all over the world.
Sports in St. Veit an der Glan
St. Veit an der Glan has a football team called SC St. Veit. They play their home games at the Jacques Lemans Arena.
St. Veit's International Connections
Entente Florale Competition
St. Veit an der Glan has taken part in the Entente Florale competition. This is an international contest for towns that focus on horticulture (gardening and landscaping). In 1999, St. Veit won a silver medal in this competition.
Sister Cities
St. Veit is twinned with one other city:
Famous People from St. Veit an der Glan
St. Veit an der Glan is the birthplace of several notable individuals:
- August Prinzhofer (1816–1885), a talented Austrian painter.
- Wolfgang Puck (born 1949), a world-famous Austrian-American chef and restaurant owner.
Sports Stars from St. Veit
- Franz Wohlfahrt (born 1964), an Austrian football goalkeeper who played many games for Austria.
- Manuel Kerhe (born 1987), an Austrian footballer with over 400 games played.
- Magdalena Lobnig (born 1990), an Austrian rower who won a bronze medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
- Matthias Mayer (born 1990), a retired alpine ski racer and three-time Olympic gold medalist.
- Michael Novak (born 1990), an Austrian footballer with over 330 games played.
- Martin Hinteregger (born 1992), an Austrian footballer who played many games for Austria.
See also
In Spanish: St. Veit an der Glan para niños
