Zwettl
Zwettl is a town and district capital of the Austrian state of Lower Austria. It is chiefly known as the location of Zwettl Abbey, first mentioned in October 1139.
Geography
Zwettl has a total area of 98.9 square miles (256.7 km²). The town is found in the middle of Waldviertel at the confluence of the Kamp and Zwettl rivers. After Vienna and Wolfsberg in Carinthia, it is the third largest municipality in Austria by area.
Population
Historical population |
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Year | Pop. | ±% |
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1869 | 12,643 | — |
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1880 | 13,121 | +3.8% |
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1890 | 12,961 | −1.2% |
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1900 | 13,617 | +5.1% |
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1910 | 13,585 | −0.2% |
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1923 | 12,946 | −4.7% |
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1934 | 12,746 | −1.5% |
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1939 | 12,806 | +0.5% |
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1951 | 12,862 | +0.4% |
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1961 | 11,374 | −11.6% |
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1971 | 11,677 | +2.7% |
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1981 | 11,479 | −1.7% |
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1991 | 11,427 | −0.5% |
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2001 | 11,630 | +1.8% |
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2011 | 11,272 | −3.1% |
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History
Railway Viaduct over Zwettl and the Kamp river
The name originates from Slavic "svetla" meaning "glade". Although the etymology suggests an early population of Slavic people no archeological evidence has been found yet.[2] Zwettl was founded by the knights of Kuenring and was first mentioned in a monastery record in 1139. It was granted town privileges on December 28, 1200. Today, the Cistercian convent in Zwettl houses the only remaining manuscript of the life of Saint Agnes Blannbekin.
People
- Josef Haslinger (born 1955), writer, born here (de)
- Benno Mengele (1898–1971), electrical engineer, born here
- Florian Metz, born here
- (Johann) Michael von Puchberg (1741–1822), merchant, philanthropist, born here
- Peter Härtling, lived here
- Hugo Jury, lived here
- Walter Nowotny, lived here
- Georg Ritter von Schönerer, died here
References
External links
Media related to Zwettl at Wikimedia Commons
Municipalities in the district of Zwettl |
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