Wiener Neustadt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wiener Neustadt
Statutory city
From top down, left to right: Main Square, City walls and Reckturm, Cathedral, Casemate, Water Tower, Burg (Theresian Military Academy)
Flag Coat of arms
Wiener Neustadt Location in Lower Austria Show map of Lower Austria Wiener Neustadt Location in Austria Show map of Austria
Country	Austria
State	Lower Austria
District	Statutory city
Area
• Total	60.94 km2 (23.53 sq mi)
Elevation	265 m (869 ft)
Population  (2018-01-01)
• Total	44,820
• Density	735.48/km2 (1,904.9/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	2700
Area code	02622
Vehicle registration	WN
Website	www.wiener-neustadt.at

Wiener Neustadt (which means "Newtown in the land of Vienna") is a city in Austria. It is located south of Vienna in the state of Lower Austria. It is a self-governed city.

Wiener Neustadt is home to one of the world's oldest military academies. This is the Theresian Military Academy. Empress Maria Theresa of Austria started it in 1751. It was built to train officers for the Austrian army.

History of Wiener Neustadt

How the City Began

The land where Wiener Neustadt stands used to be part of the County of Pitten. In 1158, it was taken over by Margrave Ottokar III of Styria. Later, the land became part of the Archduchy of Austria.

Duke Leopold V of Austria founded the town of Neustadt in 1194. He used money from the ransom of the English king Richard the Lionheart to build a fortress. Richard had been captured by Leopold and held at Dürnstein Castle. The fortress was built near the border with Hungary.

In 1241, a small group of Mongol soldiers attacked Neustadt. However, Duke Friederich and his knights fought them off. In 1246, the Hungarians won a battle against the Austrians here.

Growing into an Important City

Neustadt was given special rights to help it grow and become successful. It remained part of Styria. In 1379, it became a duchy within Inner Austria.

In the 1400s, Wiener Neustadt grew a lot. Emperor Frederick III of Habsburg lived here. He also created the Diocese of Wiener Neustadt in 1469. His wife, Eleanor of Portugal, passed away in Wiener Neustadt in 1467. There is a monument to her in the old Cistercian abbey church.

The local castle has a "coat-of-arms wall" showing the symbols of Frederick III's lands. His son, Maximilian I, also lived in Wiener Neustadt. He is buried in St. George's Cathedral. The city also had a large Jewish community. But in 1496, Emperor Maximilian I ordered all Jews to leave.

Battles and Changes

King Matthias Corvinus of Hungary was a rival of the Habsburg family. He captured the city in August 1487 after a two-year siege. Legend says he gave a special cup to the people after his victory. Maximilian I took his hometown back in 1490.

During the 1500s, Wiener Neustadt was no longer an imperial home. It lost some of its importance. However, it still served as a defense against the Turks.

In 1609, Emperor Rudolf II gave the Bohemian Protestants a special document here. It was called the Majestätsbrief. This document gave them equal rights. Later, when this document was taken back, it helped start the Thirty Years' War.

Modern Times and World Wars

In 1751, Empress Maria Theresa of Austria opened the first military academy in the world. It was located inside the imperial castle. The Theresian Military Academy started its work in 1752. It has continued to operate almost without interruption since then.

In 1768, an earthquake damaged Wiener Neustadt. The castle was rebuilt using new plans. In 1785, the city's diocese was moved to Sankt Pölten.

In the 1800s, a big fire in 1834 destroyed most of the city. It was rebuilt and became an industrial town. This growth happened especially after the Austrian Southern Railway opened in 1841. In 1909, the first official Austrian airfield opened north of the city. It was used by flight pioneers for testing their aircraft.

During World War I, workers in Wiener Neustadt started a big strike in January 1918. They were upset about food shortages and the war. Over 10,000 workers gathered to protest. They were inspired by the Russian Revolution and formed Workers Councils.

During World War II, Wiener Neustadt was bombed many times. Important targets included the railway yards and factories. These bombings left only 18 out of 4,000 buildings undamaged.

Climate

The weather in Wiener Neustadt is generally cool. Summer months usually have temperatures between 21 and 26 degrees Celsius (70-79 degrees Fahrenheit). In winter, daytime temperatures are a few degrees above freezing.

Main Sights to See

Wiener Neustadt has many interesting historical places to visit.

• The cathedral, called the Dom, was built in the Romanesque style. It was first opened in 1279. Inside, you can see 12 statues of the Apostles.
• The former church of St. Peter an der Sperr was built in the 1200s. It is now used for exhibitions and is the City Museum.
• The Theresian Military Academy is in a castle from the 1200s. Emperor Frederick III used to live here. The castle has the St. George Chapel, which holds the tomb of Emperor Maximilian I. The Academy started here in 1752.
• The Water Tower is a notable landmark.
• The Tower of Tortures (Reckturm) is an old tower from the early 1200s. It now has a private collection of weapons.
• The Mariensäule is a plague column in the main square.
• The Church of the Capuchins has parts from the 1200s.
• The medieval walls were built using some of the money from Richard the Lionheart's ransom.
• The Casemate (Kasematten) is a medieval fort. It was part of the city walls. It has been rebuilt and is now open for visitors.

Church of St. Peter an der Sperr, now the City Museum

City Hall, where the city government has been since 1401

Herzog-Leopold Street near the Main Square

Dr.-Karl-Renner-Hof, the first municipal residential complex in Austria

Getting Around Wiener Neustadt

Train and Bus Travel

The main train station is Wiener Neustadt Hauptbahnhof. It is on the Südbahn. This is the busiest train station in Lower Austria. There are also other train stations in the city.

The city has a bus network with 11 lines. These buses help people travel within the city and to nearby villages.

Roads and Airfields

Wiener Neustadt is located on the A2 Süd Autobahn and the S4 Mattersburger Schnellstraße. These are major roads that connect the city to other places.

The city has two airfields. One is the military Wiener Neustadt West Airport. This was the first airfield in Austria. The other is the civilian Wiener Neustadt East Airport.

Wiener Neustadt is also the start of Austria's only shipping canal. This is the Wiener Neustadt Canal. It was planned to reach all the way to Trieste, but it was never finished.

Culture and Events

In 1996, a special "sidewalk" designed by Japanese artist Tadashi Kawamata was built around the main square.

Wiener Neustadt was supposed to host the European part of Woodstock '99. This was a big music festival planned for July 1999. Up to 300,000 people were expected, but the event was canceled.

Sports in Wiener Neustadt

Football

The city has had football teams like 1. Wiener Neustädter SC and 1. Wiener Neustädter SC (2008). They played at the Stadion Wiener Neustadt. This stadium was later taken down. A new stadium, the Wiener Neustadt Arena, opened in 2019.

Speedway Racing

In 1995, the Stadion Wiener Neustadt hosted a world championship speedway race. It also hosted many rounds of the Speedway World Team Cup and the Speedway World Pairs Championship. When speedway racing stopped at this stadium, a smaller track was used in nearby Eggendorf.

Baseball

Wiener Neustadt is home to a baseball and softball team called the "Diving Ducks." They have been very successful. They have teams for different age groups, from young players to adult teams.

Other Sports

• In 2015, the European horseback jumping championships for children and young riders were held near Wiener Neustadt.
• Wiener Neustadt hosted a round of the Red Bull Air Race World Championship in 2018.
• The Arena Nova is a place where many sports events happen, like handball.
• The Aqua Arena is a large swimming facility in the city.

Images for kids

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  Main Square

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  City walls and Reckturm

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  Cathedral

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  Casemate

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  Water Tower

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  Burg (Theresian Military Academy)

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  Flag of Wiener Neustadt

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  Coat of arms of Wiener Neustadt

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  Wiener Neustadt Stadium.

See also

In Spanish: Wiener Neustadt para niños