Leoben (German pronunciation: [leˈoːbn] ) is a Styrian city in central Austria, located on the Mur river. With a population in 2023 of about 25,140 it is a local industrial centre and hosts the University of Leoben, which specialises in mining. The Peace of Leoben, an armistice between Austria and France preliminary to the Treaty of Campo Formio, was signed in Leoben in 1797.
The Justice Centre Leoben is a prison designed by architect Josef Hohensinn, which was completed in 2005.
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Etymology
Leoben was attested in historical sources as Liupina in 904 CE. The name is of Slavic origin, meaning 'beloved', and is derived from the root ljub- 'love'.
Geography
Leoben is located in the Mur Valley, around 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) east of Sankt Michael in Obersteiermark and 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) west of Bruck an der Mur. The old town centre was founded in the Murschleife, a meander. Today Leoben stretches on both sides of the river.
The area of the municipality is around 108 km2 (42 sq mi), of which almost 79% is forested. The lowest point in the town is 515 metres (1,690 ft) above sea level, the highest point is the summit of the Wetterkogel at 1,643 metres (5,390 ft) above sea level.
History
Leoben is known as the 'gateway to the Styrian iron road'. The 13th-century main square features the Hackl house with its baroque façade in red and white. The city parish church, Saint Francis Xavier, built in 1660, comprises a 17th-century interior and is considered one of the most significant Jesuit churches in Austria. Also of note is the Art Nouveau Lutheran church which is at the upper end of the Franz-Josef-Strasse.
The oldest convent for women in Styria is Göss Abbey. Founded in 1020 CE, it was run by the Benedictine nuns until it was dissolved in 1782 and made the see of short-lived Diocese of Leoben. The early Romanesque crypt is of note as is the Gösser Ornat, which can be seen in Vienna at the Museum for Applied Arts. Next to the convent is the Gösser brewery, which includes a brewery museum.
Current cultural events include classical concerts in the Congress Leoben, productions of the Summer Philharmonic in July and performances of local and guest productions in the oldest operating theatre in Austria.
DSV Leoben is an Austrian association football club based in Leoben. The club currently play in Austrian 2. Liga, the second tier of Austrian Football. They play at the Donawitz Stadium.
Politics
The municipal assembly (Gemeinderat) consists of 31 members. Since the 2025 local elections, it is made up of the following parties:
Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ): 13 seats
Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ): 7 seats
Austrian People's Party (ÖVP): 5 seats
Communist Party of Austria (KPÖ): 3 seats
Independent Bürgerliste (BL): 2 seats
The Greens - The Green Alternative (GRÜNE): 1 seat
Tradition and avantgarde
Leoben was shaped for centuries by the trade in iron and the research in raw materials carried out at the University of Leoben, which was founded in 1840. Mining traditions still play an important part in city life. Examples are the Miners' Parade, the Saint Barbara Celebration or the Ledersprung ('leather jump'). The Gösser Kirtag, a street fair, takes place on the Thursday after the first Sunday in October and attracts tens of thousands of visitors to Leoben.
Other components of the cultural life of Leoben include classical concerts in the Congress Leoben, productions of the Summer Philharmonics in July and performances of locally created and guest productions in the oldest still-running theatre in Austria.
Notable people
Hannes Arch (1967–2016), Austrian pilot who competed in the Red Bull Air Race World Championship from 2007 to 2016
Nicole Brown (social scientist) (born 1976), Austrian and British writer and academic
Lisa Eckhart (born 1992), Austrian comedian, poetry slammer and cabaret artist
Gabriel Gruber SJ, (1740–1805), Austrian cleric and polymath of Slovenian descent
Egon Kapellari (born 1936), RC bishop
Friedl Kjellberg (1905–1993), Austrian-Finnish ceramicist, used the so-called 'rice grain' method of porcelain-making.
Norbert Krebs (1876–1947), geographer
Wilfried Morawetz (1951–2007), botanist
Alma Seidler (1899–1977), Austrian actress, member of the Burgtheater for over 50 years
Hannelore Valencak (1929–2004), Austrian physicist, novelist, poet and children's writer
Martin Weinek (born 1964), actor and wine producer
Sport
Christian Gratzei (born 1981), Austrian football goalkeeper, played 257 games and 10 for Austria
Boris Hüttenbrenner (born 1985), former footballer who played over 370 games
Wolfgang Klapf (born 1978), Austrian football player who played over 500 games
Roland Linz (born 1981), football player, played 368 games and 39 for Austria
Gernot Plassnegger (born 1978), Austrian football coach and a former player who played over 390 games
Chris Raaber (born 1981), professional wrestler, ring name "Bambikiller"
Walter Schachner (born 1957), football player and trainer, played over 460 games and 64 for Austria
René Schicker (born 1984), Austrian footballer and head coach, he played over 400 games
David Sencar (born 1984), Austrian football coach and former player who played over 450 games
Joachim Standfest (born 1980), football coach and former player who played over 540 games and 34 for Austria
Christoph Strasser (born 1982), ultra-distance cyclist, rode over 1,000 kms (620 mi) in 24 hours in 2021