Austrian units of measurement
Austrian units of measurement were used in that country until the adoption of the metric system.
History
In 1756, the ruling Arch duchess of Austria, Maria Theresa, ordered that the Vienna fathom, as well as its multiples and fractions, should be the state-defined measure of length in the Arch duchy of Austria and the Kingdom of Hungary. The Vienna cubit, that is 13⁄4 of the Roman cubit (cubit's or elbow), was also used as a measure of length.
The law should also have applied to the Lands of the Bohemian Crown, of which Maria Theresa was the Queen. However, the traditional Roman foot remained in common use in Prague.
When the metric system was introduced by law on 23 July 1871 (which became obligatory on 1 January 1876), the length of the fathom (Kl after) was established as exactly 1.89648384 m.
Measures
| Name of unit | Length | Other equivalents | Relation to SI units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Point | 182.917 037 µm | ||
| Line | 12 points | 2.195 004 mm | |
| Inch(Zoll) | 144 points | 12 lines | 26.340 053 mm |
| Fist | 576 points | 48 lines = 4 inches(Zoll) = 1/3 foot | 105.360 213 mm |
| Die Spanne | 2 fists | 2/3 of a Foot | 210.72 mm |
| Foot | 1728 points | 144 lines = 12 inches(Zoll) | 316.080 640 mm |
| Fathom | 6 ft | 1.896 483 840 m (Wiener Klafter) | |
| Rute | 10 ft | 3.160 806 400 m | |
| Mile | 24000 ft | 4000 fathoms (Klafter) = 2400 Rutes | 7.585 935 360 km |
Austrian post-mile, police-mile, geographic mile = 3910 Vienna fathoms.
References
- The information in this article is based on that in its German equivalent.