Bad Radkersburg

Bad Radkersburg, Styria, town in the district of Radkersburg, chartered 1299, alt. 208 m, pop. 1,938, area 2.17 km², lying on the left bank of the Mur/Mura River where the Sulz stream joins the Mur, border town on the frontier to Slovenia. District Court, District Commission, district office of the hunting authorities, Inland Revenue Office, district office of the Chamber of Agricultural and Allied Workers, custom house and custom post, Mickl Barracks, regional office of the Economic Chamber, hospital, therapy centre with thermal pool (36-38° C, thermal spring issues from 1,900 m below the surface at a temperature of 80° C, treatment of renal disease); schools: Bundesoberstufenrealgymnasium secondary school, vocational school for commerce and trade. Main source of income is the service industry (trade, catering trade), esp. health tourism (97,189 overnight stays), important public service sector, aluminium ware and hardware factory, mineral water bottling. Town built 1261-1265 as border stronghold on the border to Hungary, founded by Otakar II; 1546-1591 construction of the fortifications by D. dell´Allio, which have been preserved to a large extent. After World War I temporarily occupied by the Yugoslav army, castle Oberradkersburg and former suburb have not been part of the town since 1918; 1945 severely damaged; historic old town with palaces and houses of wealthy middle-class citizens; called "Bad" (spa) since 1978, late Gothic parish church (documented 1402) with fortified tower, high altar (1906); subsidiary church Mariahilf (built 1496, hall 1643); town hall (15^th -17^th centuries, front (late 19^th century) with octagonal clock tower, Herberstorff Palace (1583); houses and palaces (16^th -18^th centuries) with arcaded courts; Pistor house with oldest secular frescoes in Austria (around 1400), ration depot (1588, today a museum); old town hall (built 1607-1612 by D. Gallo); Trinity column (1680).

Literature: G. Dirnberger, Geschichte der landesfürstlichen Stadt Radkersburg (1500-1740), doctoral thesis, Graz 1973; B. Gollenz, Tourismus im Bezirk Radkersburg, master´s thesis, Graz 1989.