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Baden bei Wien

Coordinates: 48°00′27″N 16°14′04″E / 48.00750°N 16.23444°E / 48.00750; 16.23444
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Baden
Municipality
Panorama of Baden with the aqueduct in the foreground
Panorama of Baden with the aqueduct in the foreground
Coat of arms of Baden
Coat of arms
Baden is located in Austria
Baden
Baden
Location within Austria
Baden is located in Lower Austria
Baden
Baden
Location within Lower Austria
Coordinates: 48°00′27″N 16°14′04″E / 48.00750°N 16.23444°E / 48.00750; 16.23444
CountryAustria
StateLower Austria
DistrictBaden
Government
 • MayorStefan Szirucsek (ÖVP)
Area
[1]
 • Total
26.89 km2 (10.38 sq mi)
Elevation
230 m (750 ft)
Population
 (2018-01-01)[2]
 • Total
26,286
 • Density980/km2 (2,500/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
2500
Area code0 22 52
Vehicle registrationBN
Websitebaden.at
Part ofThe Great Spa Towns of Europe
CriteriaCultural: (ii)(iii)
Reference1613
Inscription2021 (44th Session)
Contemporary illustration of Baden from 1482

Baden (Central Bavarian: Bodn),[3] unofficially distinguished from other Badens as Baden bei Wien (Baden near Vienna),[4] is a spa town in Austria. It serves as the capital of Baden District in the state of Lower Austria. Located about 26 km (16 mi) south of Vienna, the municipality consists of cadastral areas Baden, Braiten, Gamingerhof, Leesdorf, Mitterberg, Rauhenstein, and Weikersdorf.

In 2021, the town became part of the transnational UNESCO World Heritage Site under the name "Great Spa Towns of Europe" because of its famous medicinal springs and its architectural testimony to the international spa culture on the 18th and 19th centuries.[5]

Geography and Geology

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The "Spa Park" (Kurpark) entrance

Baden is located at the mouth of the Schwechat River's St Helena Valley (Helenental)[6] in the Vienna Woods (Wienerwald) range. It takes its name from the area's 14 hot springs, which vary in temperature from 72 to 97 °F (22 to 36 °C)[6] and contain mineral salts including calcium carbonate, calcium chloride and magnesium sulphate.[7][8] They lie for the most part at the foot of Mt Calvary (Calvarienberg; 1,070 ft or 326 m) in the north-central part of town.[7][8] These springs are caused by runoff from the Northern Limestone Alps and tectonic fissures within the Vienna Basin.[8]

The highest point in the area is the Iron Gate (Eisernes Tor or Hoher Lindkogel), whose 2,825 ft (861 m) can be ascended in about three hours.[7]

History

[edit]

The celebrity of Baden dates back to the days of the Romans, who knew it by the name of Aquae Cetiae[6] or Thermae Pannonicae.[9] Some ruins are still visible.[9] The settlement was mentioned as Padun in a deed from AD 869. The nearby abbey of Heiligenkreuz's Romanesque church was constructed in the 11th century; it subsequently served as the burial place for members of the Babenberg family.[7] The castle Rauheneck was constructed on the right bank of the river at the entrance to the valley in the 12th century; the castle Rauhenstein was built on the opposite bank at the same time.[7] The town received its legal privileges in 1480.[7] Although repeatedly sacked by Hungarians and Turks, it soon flourished again each time.[9]

A map of Baden in 1901

The town was largely destroyed by a fire in 1812 but was excellently rebuilt[6] in a Biedermeier style according to plans by architect Joseph Kornhäusel, it is therefore sometimes referred to as the "Biedermeierstadt". Archduke Charles, the victor of Aspern, constructed the Weilburg Palace at the foot of Rauheneck between 1820 and 1825.[7] In the 19th century, it was connected to the railway running between Vienna and Graz, which led to thousands of Viennese visiting each year to take the waters, including members of the imperial family, who constructed extensive villas nearby.[6][8] In 1820, the Sauerhof became the first freestanding spa hotel in Europe.[8] The composer Ludwig van Beethoven stayed a number of times in Baden and his residences still form local tourist spots. The location at Rathausgasse 10 now forms a museum open to the public.[n 1] Mayerling, a hunting lodge about 4 mi (6.4 km) up the valley, was the site of Crown Prince Rudolf's murder-suicide in 1889.[7] Its primary export in the 19th century were steel razors, which were reckoned of excellent quality.[6]

The City Theater (Stadttheater)
The 1934 casino

The town boasted a theater, military hospital, and casino, all constructed in the late 1800s and early 1900s.[6][8] The City Theater (Stadttheater) was built in 1909 by Ferdinand Fellner. By the time of the First World War, Baden was Vienna's principal resort: 20 000 came each year, double the town's local population.[7] In addition to a modern "spa house" (Kurhaus), there were 15 separate bathing establishments and several parks.[7] During the war, Baden served as a temporary seat of the Austro-Hungarian high command. A new casino in 1934 made the town the premier resort throughout Austria.[citation needed] The Château Weilburg was destroyed during World War II. After World War II, Baden served as the headquarters of Soviet forces within occupied Austria until 1955.[citation needed]

Transport

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Baden can be reached by the Süd Autobahn (A2). It lies on the Südbahn (Southern Railway), the Baden railway station is served by S-Bahn, regional trains, and the Cityjet Xpress train connecting it directly to Vienna and Wiener Neustadt every 30 minutes during peak hours.[10]

It also the terminus of the local Badner Bahn tram-train.

Government

[edit]

Kurt Staska (ÖVP) was Baden's Bürgermeister as a result of elections of 2015, but he resigned at the end of 2016 and Stefan Szirucsek became the new Bürgermeister (Mayor). His deputy is Helga Krismer from the Greens.

City council (German: Gemeinderat) consists of 41 seats:

Baden bei Wien
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
 
 
35
 
 
3
−3
 
 
34
 
 
6
−2
 
 
49
 
 
10
2
 
 
55
 
 
15
5
 
 
62
 
 
21
10
 
 
70
 
 
23
13
 
 
67
 
 
26
15
 
 
60
 
 
25
15
 
 
57
 
 
21
11
 
 
42
 
 
15
6
 
 
52
 
 
8
2
 
 
41
 
 
4
−1
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█ Precipitation totals in mm
Source: ZAMG
Imperial conversion
JFMAMJJASOND
 
 
1.4
 
 
37
27
 
 
1.3
 
 
43
28
 
 
1.9
 
 
50
36
 
 
2.2
 
 
59
41
 
 
2.4
 
 
70
50
 
 
2.8
 
 
73
55
 
 
2.6
 
 
79
59
 
 
2.4
 
 
77
59
 
 
2.2
 
 
70
52
 
 
1.7
 
 
59
43
 
 
2
 
 
46
36
 
 
1.6
 
 
39
30
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches

Population

[edit]
Historical population
YearPop.±%
197122,727—    
198123,140+1.8%
199123,488+1.5%
200124,518+4.4%
200625,212+2.8%
201025,136−0.3%
201425,229+0.4%

Notable people

[edit]
See also: Category:People from Baden bei Wien
Marianne Hainisch, 1872
painting of Katharina Schratt
Max Reinhardt, 1911
Arnulf Rainer Museum
painting of Georg Anton Rollett, 1824
Erwin Hoffer, 2009

Public service

[edit]

Arts

[edit]

Science & business

[edit]

Sport

[edit]

Notes

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  1. ^ Other street addresses include Antonsgasse 4, Braitnerstrasse 26, Frauengasse 10, Johannesgasse 12, Kaiser Franz Ring 9, and Weilburgstrasse 13.

References

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  1. ^ "Dauersiedlungsraum der Gemeinden Politischen Bezirke und Bundesländer - Gebietsstand 1.1.2018". Statistics Austria. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  2. ^ "Einwohnerzahl 1.1.2018 nach Gemeinden mit Status, Gebietsstand 1.1.2018". Statistics Austria. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  3. ^ Charnock (1859), "Baden", Local Etymology, p. 23
  4. ^ "Baden near Vienna". Google search. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  5. ^ Landwehr, Andreas (24 July 2021). "'Great Spas of Europe' awarded UNESCO World Heritage status". Deutsche Presse-Agentur. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g EB (1878).
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j EB (1911), p. 183.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Nomination of the Great Spas of Europe for inclusion on the World Heritage List (Report). United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  9. ^ a b c EB (1911), p. 184.
  10. ^ "CJX9 – die neue Schnellverbindung auf der Südbahn". Verkehrsverbund Ost-Region. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  11. ^ Christie, Ian (2004). "Hoellering, George Michael (1897–1980), film-maker and exhibitor". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/61485. Retrieved 23 February 2019. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  12. ^ Erik Werba oxfordreference.com

Bibliography

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[edit]
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Baden (Austria).
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Baden, Lower Austria.
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