| 1st | Upper_Austria">Top postal codes in Austria: Upper Austria |
| Linz | |
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| Coat of arms | Location |
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| Administration | |
| Country |  Austria |
|---|---|
| State | Upper Austria |
| District | Statutory city |
| Mayor | Franz Dobusch (SPÖ) |
| Basic statistics | |
| Area | 96.048 km2 (37.1 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 266 m (873 ft) |
| Population | 189,284 (1 April 2009) |
| - Density | 1,971 /km² (5,104 /sq mi) |
| Other information | |
| Time zone | CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) |
| Licence plate | L |
| Postal codes | 4010, 402x, 4030, 404x |
| Area codes | 0732, 070 |
| Website | www.linz.at
Coordinates: 48°18′11″N 14°17′26″E / 48.30306°N 14.29056°E |
Linz is the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria (German: Oberösterreich). It is located in the north centre of Austria, approximately 30 km south of the Czech border, on both sides of the river Danube. The population of the city is 189,284 (2009), and that of the Greater Linz conurbation is 271,000.
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The city was founded by the Romans, who called it Lentia.[1] The name Linz was first recorded in 799 AD, after Bavarians expanded south and Linz became a center of trade.[2]
It was a provincial and local government city of the Holy Roman Empire, and an important trading point connecting several routes, on either side of the river Danube from the East to the West and Bohemia and Poland from north to the Balkans and Italy to the south. Being the city where the Habsburg Emperor Friedrich III spent his last years, it was, for a short period of time, the most important city in the empire.[3] It lost its status to Vienna and Prague after the death of the Emperor in 1493. One important inhabitant of the city was Johannes Kepler, who spent several years of his life in the city studying mathematics. He discovered, on 15 May 1618, the distance-cubed-over-time-squared — or 'third' — law of planetary motion. The local public university, Johannes Kepler University, is named for him. Another famous citizen was Anton Bruckner, who spent the years between 1855 and 1868 working as a local composer and church organist in the city. The local concert hall "Brucknerhaus" and a local private music and arts university are named after him.
Adolf Hitler was born in the border town of Braunau am Inn but moved to Linz in his childhood. Hitler spent most of his youth in the Linz area, from 1898 until 1907, when he left for Vienna. The family lived first in the village of Leonding on the outskirts of town, and then in an apartment on the Humboldtstrasse in Linz itself. Hitler's parents are buried in Leonding.
After elementary education in Leonding, Hitler was enrolled in the Realschule (school) in Linz, as was the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein.
Notorious Holocaust architect Adolf Eichmann also spent his youth in Linz.
The association of the city with Hitler's childhood warranted an allusion in a poem by W.H. Auden, September 1, 1939: "Accurate scholarship can/Unearth the whole offense/ From Luther until now/ That has driven a culture mad, Find what occurred at Linz...."
To the end of his life, Hitler considered Linz to be his "home town",[4] and envisioned extensive architectural schemes for it, wanting it to become the main cultural centre of the Third Reich. In order to make the city economically vibrant, Hitler initiated a major industrialization of Linz shortly before, and during, World War II. Many factories were dismantled in the newly-acquired Czechoslovakia and then reassembled in Linz, including the Hermann-Göring-Werke (now voestalpine). In addition to an ordnance depot, Linz has a benzol (oil)[1] plant which was bombed during the Oil Campaign on 16 October 1944.
The Mauthausen-Gusen, located near Linz, were the last Nazi concentration camps to be liberated by the Allies. While in operation, they were the source of quarrying for stone for Hitler's prestige projects across the Reich. The main camp in Mauthausen is just 25 kilometres (16 mi) away from Linz.
After the war, the river Danube that runs through Linz — from the western side to the south-eastern side — which separates the Urfahr district in the north from the rest of Linz — served as the border between the Russian and American occupation troops. The Nibelungen bridge that spans the Danube river from the Hauptplatz (main square) was at that time Linz's version of Checkpoint Charlie. The Nibelungen Brücke with the two bridge head buildings is the only architectural plan Hitler ever carried out in Linz.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1900 | 83,356 |
| 1951 | 184,685 |
| 1961 | 195,978 |
| 1971 | 204,889 |
| 1981 | 199,910 |
| 1991 | 203,044 |
| 2001 | 183,504 |
| 2006 | 188,968 |
The agglomeration includes (parts of) 13 other municipalities with together 271,000 inhabitants. Linz is also part of the Linz-Wels-Steyr metropolitan area of Upper Austria, home to around one third of the state's population (460,000 people) and second-largest urban area in Austria.[5][6]
Linz is divided into 9 districts and 36 statistical quarters. They are:
Linz is an industrial city. The Voestalpine AG is a large steel concern (founded as the "Hermann Göring Werke" during World War II), and which is known for the LD- ("Linz-Donawitz") procedure for the production of steel, and the former "Chemie Linz" chemical group, which has been split up into several companies. This has made Linz one of Austria's most important economic centres. Linz is also the home of Pez ( makers of peppermint candy).
Linz also serves as an important transportation hub for the region of both Upper Austria and, to a lesser degree, southern Bohemia. The "Blue Danube" Linz Airport lies about 6.25 miles (10 km) southwest of the town centre. Direct flights include Frankfurt, Düsseldorf and Vienna with additional seasonal routes added during the summer and winter months. Ryanair flies to London Stansted Airport.
The city lies on Austria's main rail axis, the so-called "Westbahn", linking Vienna with western Austria, Germany and Switzerland. There are also varying types of river transport on the Danube; from industrial barges to tourist cruise ships.
The main street "Landstraße" leads from the "Blumauerplatz" to the main square. In the middle of this square the high "Pestsäule" ("plague column", also known as "Dreifaltigkeitssäule" (Dreifaltigkeit means Holy Trinity)) was built to remember the people who died in the plague epidemics.[7][8]
Near the castle, being the former seat of Friedrich the III — the oldest Austrian church is located: Sankt/Saint Martins church. It was built during early medieval Carolingian times.[9]
Other sights include:
The city is now home to a vibrant music and arts scene that is well-funded by the city and the state of Upper Austria. Between the Lentos Art Museum and the "Brucknerhaus", is the "Donaulände", which is also referred to as "Kulturmeile" ("culture mile"). This is a park alongside the river, which is used mainly by young people to relax and meet in summer. It is also used for the Ars Electronica Festival and the "Linz Fest".[15] Linz has other culture institutions, such as the Posthof, which is near the harbour,[16] and the Stadtwerkstatt, which is by the Danube river.[17] Linz is the European Capital of Culture in 2009, along with Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania.[18]
The recently built Lentos (2003) is a modern art gallery, presenting art from the 20th and 21st centuries. It is situated on the south banks of the river Danube. The building can be illuminated at night from the inside with blue, pink, red, and violet, due to its glass casing.
The Ars Electronica Center (AEC) is a museum and research facility on the north bank of the Danube (in the Urfahr district), across the river from the Hauptplatz (main square). The AEC is a significant world center for new media arts, attracting a large gathering of technologically-oriented artists every year for the Ars Electronica festival. The AEC museum is home to one of the few public 3D CAVEs in Europe.
The Brucknerhaus, the most important concert hall in Linz is named after Anton Bruckner. It is situated just some 200 meters away from the "Lentos". It is home to the "Bruckner Orchestra", and is frequently used for concerts, as well as Balls and other events.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart wrote his Symphony No. 36 (1783) in Linz for a concert to be given there, and the work is known today as the Linz Symphony. The first version of Anton Bruckner's Symphony No. 1 in C minor is known as the Linz version.
Amongst the many "Gymnasien" (high schools) in Linz, is Linz International School Auhof (LISA), which is one of four IB (International Baccalaureate) schools in Austria, and uses English as main language for instruction.
Living in Linz:
Linz is twinned with:
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Linz [1] is the third largest city in Austria with 188,968 inhabitants, is the capital of the federal province of Upper Austria and forms the heart of Austria´s second strongest economic region. Linz is by the Danube (Donau) river. The tourist slogan of the city is "In Linz beginnt's" ("It starts in Linz").
Linz is an industrial city (with huge steel and chemical works) which was bombed during World War II - and was one of the few cities of Nazi-Germany that escaped total destruction. While Linz does indeed have a sizable "Altstadt" (old town) it may be disappointing to those tourists familiar with the charm of Graz or Salzburg. Linz is primarily a student and industrial town and while not particularly beautiful, is more representative of a "real" Austrian city vs. the almost fairy tale like quality of Salzburg.
While industry in Linz is still financially important, it is slowly diversifying by helping small companies and encouraging tourism. The city gets a lot of international media attention because of its annual Ars Electronica Festival[2]; an international festival for Electronic Art. It also hosts the "Klangwolke" ("sound-cloud"); a big cultural Open-Air spectacle with modern and traditional music and a massive light show, which is held in September. Linz has become the "European Capital of Culture" in 2009, by virtue of an independent cultural development and an innovative culture and art scene.
The Blue Danube Airport of Linz is located outside the city, but there is a bus service to Linz from the airport, which takes about 20 minutes and costs around €3. A taxi costs around €25-30. Alternately, you can fly to the better-connected Vienna airport and take the train to Linz.
Linz has hourly Intercity and Eurocity connections to Salzburg and Vienna, and from there to all important European capitals and major cities. Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB)[3] has online timetables and offers various ticketing options.
Linz is connected with Vienna, Salzburg, and Munich via the A1 Autobahn/motorway ; the Muehlviertel A7 Autobahn , and the south of Austria (Graz (Styria), Klagenfurt (Carinthia)) via the A9 Autobahn. It is also connected to Germany via Passau. There are plans to extend a motorway north to the Czech Republic, but work is not expected to start until 2009. The best way to drive north is currently on the B125 Bundesstrasse/B-road.
All shipping-enterprises of Linz are listed here: [4] There is regular passenger boat service on the Danube from and to Vienna and Passau, Germany. A list of Austrian passenger services on the Danube can be found here: [5]
Linz has a very good public transport service. A map of the tram (red) and bus lines is available [6], as well as an on-line time table [7]. A one-day ticket is €3,40 for over 14-year-olds, & €1,70 for under 14-year-olds. There is also a 4-stop ticket for €0.80. Students can buy an 'Aktivpass', which allows you to buy a monthly card for €10.00, which is valid for all lines, and you get all tickets at half price. Tickets are purchased from the electronic vending machines at each stop, as well as tobacco and newspaper shops.
The Linz City Ticket (€20,00) enables an individual and independent tour through the Danube city. Available at the Tourist Office and in many hotels.
The "Linz City Ticket" includes:
When strolling through the heart of the city, one can literally sense its history. The lanes of the old town, which lies directly at the foot of the castle, communicate the feeling of past ages. Splendid town residences and chapter houses are worthy of closer scrutiny, as are the many inner courtyards hidden discretely behind arched gates. Moreover, the spacious, baroque main square with its lively hustle and bustle is never far away.
Linz is also a city of churches. With its 134m tower and space for 20,000 people, the New Cathedral is Austria´s largest church. In addition, the city landmark, the pilgrimage basilica on the Pöstlingberg, is also clearly in view. A symbol of Linz is the Lentos Museum of modern art, which has a striking glass facade that is illuminated at night with alternating colours.
Linz is a synonym for variety that is found at open air events, in bars and restaurants and in the theatre and on concert stages of the city. In late April, the yearly Crossing Europe [8] film festival for young european film features works with unconventional, courageous filmic positions. At Whitsun, the Linz Festival [9] offers a cultural open-air festival in the Danube park, while in July the international "Pflasterspektakel" [10] brings over 500 clowns, acrobats and mimes to the city´s streets. Moreover, September sees the musical "Cloud of Sounds" [11] in the Donaupark, the Ars Electronica Festival [12] and the Bruckner Festival.
The Linz markets provide an opportunity to browse, and sample, whether at the weekly markets or the twice yearly Fair/Carneval Urfahraner Jahrmarkt [13], which is Austria´s oldest public festival.
During the universities lecture periods (october-january/march-june) there is a wide range of student parties among the campuses of the 4 universities in Linz. Particularly interesting might be the weekly Mensafest every thursday in Dornach/Urfahr on the campus of Johannes-Kepler-University [14] and the gatherings at the Sommerhaus Hotel [15] during the SAICCA program that runs mid-May through mid-June.
Linz has established an international reputation due to its extensive cultural life. You can visit the "culture mile" along the Danube, which stretches from the Brucknerhaus concert hall and the Lentos art museum and the Ars Electronica Center on the northern bank of the river. Linz also possesses a number of stage companies, which offer something for everybody in the form of a range of evening entertainment that extends from classic opera to modern dance theatre.
From June to August the Linz cultural summer features cabaret, open-air concerts and theatre on virtually daily basis at venues that are as varied as the programme itself. These include the bars and squares of the inner city, as well as the romantic Rose Garden high above the rooftops. Moreover, throughout the year, the "Posthof" features "contemporary culture at the harbour" with national and international performers.
There are lots of things to do in Linz. Here are a few possibilities:
Old Town Walking Tour, [31].
Special shows and exhibitions throughout the year present special attractions. The bus number 27 goes straight to the Botanical Gardens every 15 minutes from Taubenmarkt station, on foot you need about 30 minutes.
Eating in Linz depends on your budget, and taste. Be prepared to search far and wide for open restaurants on Sundays. The entire Altstadt seems to close down Sunday nights leaving tourists restaurant choices only in adjoining districts.
Drinking in Linz is varied and not that cheap; although if you drink outside of the city centre you will find that the cost of drinks are less than in the centre.
Local beers and warm "Glühwein" (hot, spiced/mulled wine) in winter. Upper-Austrian's "national drink" is Most (it´s cider but not fizzy), and Zipfer, Gösser, and Kaiser beer. There are many Austrian beers, of course.
Linz is a good stepping-off point for a trip into Southern Bohemian region of Czech Republic. Trains go to Ceske Budejovice and on to Prague.
To the south you can travel by train or car to the wonderful region of Salzkammergut, with its picturesque lakes and mountains. Some nice towns are: Gmunden, Bad Ischl, Hallstatt, Bad Aussee, and many more. To the west is Salzburg.
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LINZ, capital of the Austrian duchy and crownland of Upper Austria, and see of a bishop, 117 m. W. of Vienna by rail. Pop. (1900) 58,778. It lies on the right bank of the Danube and is connected by an iron bridge, 308 yds. long, with the markettown of Urfahr (pop. 12,827) on the opposite bank. Linz possesses two cathedrals, one built in1669-1682in rococo style, and another in early Gothic style, begun in 1862. In the Capuchin church is the tomb of Count Raimondo Montecucculi, who died at Linz in 1680. The museum Francisco-Carolinum, founded in 1833 and reconstructed in 1895, contains several important collections relating to the history of Upper Austria. In the Franz Josef-Platz stands a marble monument, known as Trinity Column, erected by the emperor Charles VI. in 1723, commemorating the triple deliverance of Linz from war, fire, and pestilence. The principal manufactories are of tobacco, boatbuilding, agricultural implements, foundries and cloth factories. Being an important railway junction and a port of the Danube, Linz has a very active transit trade.
Linz is believed to stand on the site of the Roman station Lentia. The name of Linz appears in documents for the first time in 799 and it received municipal rights in 1324. In 1490 it became the capital of the province above the Enns. It successfully resisted the attacks of the insurgent peasants under Stephen Fadinger on the 21st and 22nd of July 1626, but its suburbs were laid in ashes. During the siege of Vienna in 1683, the castle of Linz was the residence of Leopold I. In 1741, during the War of the Austrian Succession, Linz was taken by the Bavarians, but was recovered by the Austrians in the following year. The bishopric was established in 1784.
See F. Krackowitzer, Die Donaustadt Linz (Linz, 1901).
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Categories: LIE-LIQ | Austria-Hungary
Linz is a city in Austria with about 185,000 inhabitants. It is the capital City of Upper Austria. There is the famous artcenter "Lentos" or the "Brucknerhaus" for concerts.
   | Linz web site - Stadt Linz - Startseite |
| | Catholic-Theological Private University Linz - Katholisch-Theologische Privatuniversität Linz |
| | University of Arts and Industrial Design Linz - Kunstuniversität Linz: Startseite |
| | Anton Bruckner Private University for Music, Drama, and Dance - Anton Bruckner Privatuniversität |
| | Brucknerhaus concert hall - Brucknerhaus Linz / Austria |
| | Lentos Art Museum - Lentos | Kunstmuseum Linz | Lentos - Museum der Stadt Linz |
| | Official homepage of Linz — The Capital of Culture 2009 - Linz 2009 Kulturhauptstadt Europas - Linz09. |
| | LASK — Linz Soccer Club - LASK.at - Offizielle Website des LASK LINZ |
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| | Linz - Linz | Der illustrierte Stadtführer im Internet |
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| | About Linz - Linz, Austria - Bruckner Festival - Linz Tourism Information - Austria Travel City Guide to Linz |
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