Wieselburg

Wieselburg, Lower Austria, town in the district of Scheibbs, alt. 269 m, pop. 3,095, area 5.43 km², at the confluence of the Rivers Großer Erlauf and Kleiner Erlauf in the northern Alpine foothills. - Federal Research Institute of the Federal Experimental Agricultural Laboratories (Landwirtschaftliche Bundesversuchswirtschaften GmbH), swimming facilities and recreation centre, Bundesgymnasium secondary school, Bundesrealgymnasium secondary school, Francisco-Josephinum federal advanced level secondary school of agriculture (Weinzierl Castle), Fachhochschule, waterworks, power station; 2,274 people in gainful employment, around 50% in the production sector (metal-processing industries, tools, lamps, brewery, sawmill, construction) and 50% in service industries (especially trade). - First documented mention 976/979, was given the status of a town in 1976; parish church St. Ulrich, with pre-Romanesque core (octagon, one of the oldest churches in Lower Austria), formerly part of a mediaeval castle mound with early mediaeval monumental paintings up to the dome (late 10th/early 11th century), 1500-1555 addition of a two-aisled Gothic nave, further extensions in 1953-1958, late-Gothic statue of St. Mary (16th century), high altar from Gaming Charterhouse, 13th century, late 18th century, Wieselburg castle (three wings), original building probably from the 13th century, main tract of the present building from the late 18th century, alterations in 1824. Annual public festival in June since 1928, Lower Austrian Agricultural Fair since 1975, Construction and Energy Trade Fair, Leisure Trade Fair, fair for farm goods and produce, market for used agricultural machines, museum of prehistory and early history, brewery museum.

Literature: Österreichisches Städtebuch, vol. IV, part 3, Die Städte Niederösterreichs, 1982; H. Birklbauer, Das Oktogon von Wieselburg, in: Ostarrîchi - Österreich, Menschen, Mythen, Meilensteine, exhibition catalogue, St. Pölten/Neuhofen an der Ybbs 1996.