Description of the attraction
Waidhofen am Ybbs is an Austrian city located in the south-west of the country in the federal state of Lower Austria, in the foothills of the Alps at an altitude of 362 meters above sea level. The origin of the city's name has not yet been finally established. One of the most common versions is associated with the name of a large livestock farm.
The history of the city begins in 955, when Emperor Conrad II donated the lands to the Diocese of Freising. In the 12th century, a small castle was built as the administrative center of the Freisinger region (3 kilometers from the city center). During the conflict between Duke Rudolph IV (1339-1365) and the Bishopric of Freising in 1360, the castle was abandoned under unexplained circumstances. In 1390-1410, Bishop Berthold of Wechinger, who was then the chancellor of Austria, began a powerful modernization of the city, started the construction of 13 defensive towers along the walls.
Iron ore mining began in Styria in the 12th century. Waidhofen was located at the crossroads of two major trade routes, so the city became quite successful in metalworking. So, by the middle of the 16th century, up to 20% of European cast iron was processed in the city. Production developed so rapidly that the goods were exported to Venice and the Middle East.
In the center of the city, many historical buildings have been preserved, including those from the late Middle Ages. In the 19th century, the facades of many buildings acquired features of the Neo-Renaissance, Neo-Baroque and Biedermeier style. Against this background, two towers stand out - the remains of the medieval fortifications of the city. The Ibsturm Tower dates from the 13th century; the 50-meter Stadturm was erected in 1534 in honor of the defeat of the Turks near the city. Since then, the clock on the tower has always shown 11.45 - the time of victory over the enemy.
The Regional Museum of the city is interesting to visit, it is one of the modern museums of Lower Austria.
