Wiener Neustadt (German pronunciation: [ˈviːnɐ ˈnɔʏʃtat] ; lit. 'Viennese New Town'; Central Bavarian: Weana Neistod, pronounced [ˈvɛɐ̯nɐ ˈnɔɪ̯ʃtɔt]) is a city in southern part of the Austrian state of Lower Austria. The city is located some 50 kilometres (31 mi) south of the centre of the capital Vienna. It is a self-governing city and the seat of the district administration of Wiener Neustadt-Land District.
Wiener Neustadt is home to one of the world's oldest military academies, the Theresian Military Academy, established by Empress Maria Theresa of Austria in 1751 to train officers for the Austrian army.
Contents
History
The area once belonged to the County of Pitten, which had been inherited by Margrave Ottokar III of Styria in 1158. After the dynasty of the Otakars became extinct with the death of his son Ottokar IV, the Duchy of Styria passed to the Austrian House of Babenberg according to the Georgenberg Pact. Duke Leopold V of Austria established the town called Neustadt in 1194 and financed the construction of a fortress close to the Hungarian border with the ransom paid for the English king Richard the Lionheart, whom he had previously captured and held as a hostage at Dürnstein Castle. In 1241, a small Mongol squadron raided Neustadt during the Mongol incursions in the Holy Roman Empire but was later repulsed by Duke Friederich and his knights. In 1246, it was the scene of a victory of the Hungarians over the Austrians.
Neustadt gained important privileges that enabled the city to prosper. It remained a part of Styria, which after the 1278 Battle on the Marchfeld fell to the House of Habsburg and in 1379 became a constituent duchy of Inner Austria. In the 15th century, Wiener Neustadt experienced a population boom when Emperor Frederick III of Habsburg took up a residence here and established the Diocese of Wiener Neustadt in 1469. His wife, Eleanor of Portugal, died in Wiener Neustadt in 1467. The late Gothic church of the old Cistercian abbey contains a monument to her memory. The Wappenwand (coat-of-arms wall) at the local castle displays the coats of arms of his possessions in the middle. His son Maximilian I maintained his court in Wiener Neustadt and is buried here at St. George's Cathedral. The town then also had a significant Jewish commune with Rabbi Israel Isserlin as its most notable member, until all Jews were expelled by order of Emperor Maximilian I in 1496.
Habsburg's long-time rival King Matthias Corvinus of Hungary conquered the city in August 1487 after having laid siege to it for two years. According to legend, he dedicated the magnificent Corvinus Cup to the inhabitants after his victory. Maximilian I managed to reconquer his native city in 1490. During the 16th century, Wiener Neustadt lost its status as imperial residence and much of its importance. However, it still fulfilled its function as a bulwark against the Turks and the Kuruc.
It was at Neustadt that the emperor Rudolf II granted to the Bohemian Protestants, in 1609, the Majestätsbrief, or patent of equal rights. The revocation of this patent helped to precipitate the Thirty Years' War.
Climate
The average monthly temperatures are generally cool (see table below), with summer months reaching 21–26 °C (70–79 °F) and winter months reaching a few degrees above freezing in the daytime.
Main sights
The Late-Romanesque cathedral, the Dom, consecrated in 1279 and constructed from 1469 to 1785. The choir and transept, in Gothic style, are from the 14th century. In the late 15th century 12 statues of the Apostles were added in the apse, while the bust of Cardinal Melchior Klesl is attributed to Gian Lorenzo Bernini.
Former church of St. Peter an der Sperr, erected in the 13th century and modified in the mid-15th century by the imperial architect Peter von Pusica. Secularized in the 19th century, it is now used for exhibitions.
The Theresian Military Academy, a 13th-century formerly four-towered castle which was later used as residence by Frederick III of Habsburg. The latter had it enlarged and the St. George Chapel built in the mid-15th century: it has notable glassworks and houses the tomb of Emperor Maximilian I. It became seat of the Academy in 1752. Destroyed during World War II, it has been rebuilt to the original appearance.
Water tower
Tower of Tortures (Reckturm, early 13th century), now housing a private weapons collection.
Mariensäule (a plague column at Hauptplatz)
Church of the Capuchins, documented from the 13th century. Of the original construction today the Gothic choir (late 14th century) and the statues of St. Mary and St. James can be seen.
The medieval walls, built using part of the ransom of Richard I of England.
Communal Museum of Wiener Neustadt Archived 2012-02-22 at the Wayback Machine
City archives
Aviation museum Aviaticum
Industrial museum
Transportation
Wiener Neustadt Hauptbahnhof (German: main station) lies on the Südbahn (German: southern railway) as well as several regional railways. It is owned and operated by the ÖBB and is the busiest railway station in Lower Austria. There are also two additional S-Bahn stations and one regional train station within the city. Wiener Neustadt lies on the A2 Süd Autobahn and the S4 Mattersburger Schnellstraße.
The city's bus network has 11 lines operating in the city and connecting it to neighboring villages.
The city has two airfields (the military Wiener Neustadt West Airport, the first airfield in Austria, and the civilian Wiener Neustadt East Airport). However, there no scheduled services operated at the airport. The nearest airport is Vienna Airport, located 66 km (41 mi) north east of Wiener Neustadt, it can easily be reached by train, bus and car.
The starting point of Austria's only shipping canal, the Wiener Neustadt Canal, which was meant to reach out to Trieste but was never finished.
Politics
Municipal council
Elections in January 2025:
VPWN (ÖVP) 15 seats
SPÖ 11 seats
FPÖ 8 seats
The Greens – The Green Alternative 4 seats
Gemeinsam für Neustadt (i.e. Together for Neustadt) 1 seat
NEOS 1 seat
Total: 40 seats
Mayors
1467–1471: Johann Roll
1945–1965: Rudolf Wehrl
1965–1984: Hans Barwitzius
1984–1993: Gustav Kraupa
1993–1997: Peter Wittmann
1997–2005: Traude Dierdorf
2005–2015: Bernhard Müller
since 2015: Klaus Schneeberger
University, professional schools, vocational academies
Austria's first and largest Fachhochschule for business and engineering, the University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt, is located here.
City partnerships
Monheim am Rhein, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Desenzano del Garda, Italy
Harbin, People's Republic of China (PRC)
Development of the city
The most recent extension of the city is the Civitas Nova, Latin for new city, an ambitious project for an industrial, research and commercial center. In 2015, on the area of the Civitas Nova, a cancer treatment center for ion therapy was opened under the name of MedAustron.
Culture
In 1996 Wiener Neustadt received international attention as the so-called "sidewalk" designed by Japanese artist Tadashi Kawamata was built around the main square. Wiener Neustadt is the setting for the book Reluctant Return: A Survivor's Journey to an Austrian town.
It was announced that Wiener Neustadt would host the European leg of Woodstock '99 over the weekend of July 16 to 18 1999. It was intended that up to 300,000 people would the festival, but the European leg of Woodstock '99 was ultimately canceled.
Sport
Association football
1. Wiener Neustädter SC and then 1. Wiener Neustädter SC (2008) played in the Austrian Football First League at the Stadion Wiener Neustadt before the stadium was demolished and replaced by the Wiener Neustadt Arena, which opened in 2019.
Speedway
In 1995, the Stadion Wiener Neustadt hosted the world championship round called the 1995 Speedway Grand Prix of Austria. It also hosted rounds of the Speedway World Team Cup in 1978, 1986 to 1989 and 1993 and rounds of the Speedway World Pairs Championship in 1988, 1990 and 1993. When speedway ended at the Stadion Wiener Neustadt, a smaller speedway venue was used in nearby Eggendorf.
Baseball
The city is home to a baseball and softball team called the "Diving Ducks", which have had success both within the country and internationally. They provide teams for various age groups, starting from the youngest team to the softball team "Crazy Chicklets", the adult team "Rubber Ducks" as well as their professional team the "Diving Ducks".
Other sports
The European horseback jumping championships of 2015 for children, juniors and young riders was set up at Lake Arena, outside of Wiener Neustadt.
Wiener Neustadt played host to the sixth round of the 2018 Red Bull Air Race World Championship.
The Arena Nova hosts sporting events such as handball.
The Aqua Arena is a large swimming facility.
Notable people
Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
Israel Isserlein, (1390–1460), Slovenian and German rabbi
Queen Mariana of Spain (1634–1696)
Johanna Beisteiner, (born 1976), classical guitarist
Elazar Benyoëtz
Thérèse de Dillmont, writer on textiles
Joseph Matthias Hauer, composer
Karl Merkatz, actor
Carl von In der Maur, Austrian statesman (1852–1913)
Irfan Skiljan, computer programmer and creator of IrfanView now working in Wiener Neustadt
Michael Haneke, (born 1942), film director
Werner Schlager, professional table tennis player
Dominic Thiem, tennis player
Dennis Novak, tennis player
Neighbouring municipalities
Theresienfeld
Neudörfl
Lichtenwörth
Katzelsdorf
Weikersdorf am Steinfelde
Bad Fischau-Brunn