Vöcklabruck

Vöcklabruck
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Coat of arms of Vöcklabruck Coat of arms
Vöcklabruck Location within Austria
Coordinates:
Country	Austria
State	Upper Austria
District	Vöcklabruck
Government
• Mayor	Herbert Walter Brunsteiner (ÖVP)
Area
• Total	16 km2 (6 sq mi)
Elevation	433 m (1,421 ft)
Population (1 January 2014)
• Total	11,945
• Density	750/km2 (1,900/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	4840
Area code	07672
Vehicle registration	VB
Website	www.voecklabruck.at

File:Topographia Austriacarum (Merian) 027-Vöcklabruck.jpg

Vöcklabruck in 1679

(German pronunciation: [fœklaˈbʁʊk]) is the administrative center of the Vöcklabruck district, Austria. It is located in the western part of Upper Austria, close to the A1 Autobahn as well as the B1 highway, and has been ranked in the top 10 most-visited cities in Austria.

Vöcklabruck's name derives from the River Vöckla which runs through the town, whose name in turn originates from a person's name ('Vechela') and 'Ache', meaning 'flowing water' or 'river'.

Vöcklabruck has many shops as well as services and schools. It was chosen for Europäisches Schützentreffen (the European Meeting of Marksmen) in 2003, and has and will play host to other events such as the Internationale Musiktage (International Music Gathering), Landesgartenschau (provincial garden show) 2007, and an Erdbeerfest (strawberry festival), among others.

Population

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1869	2,794	—
1880	3,076	+10.1%
1890	3,294	+7.1%
1900	3,562	+8.1%
1910	4,338	+21.8%
1923	4,520	+4.2%
1934	5,017	+11.0%
1939	5,546	+10.5%
1951	8,857	+59.7%
1961	9,353	+5.6%
1971	10,732	+14.7%
1981	11,019	+2.7%
1991	11,239	+2.0%
2001	11,697	+4.1%
2011	11,931	+2.0%

Sights

The distance to Salzkammergut's lakes from Vöcklabruck (11 km (7 mi) to the Attersee, 16 km (10 mi) to the Traunsee, 40 km (25 mi) to the Mondsee, 68 km (42 mi) to the Hallstättersee and 72 km (45 mi) to the Wolfgangsee) has led to the town's description as "the gateway to the Salzkammergut". Near the town there are many recreational facilities where people can enjoy both indoor and outdoor activities. Alongside these, Vöcklabruck offers:

• In the town square's tower, frescos discovered in the 1960s. They date from 1502 and were painted by Tyrolean Jörg Kölderer.
• Dörflkirche/Ägidiuskirche' (St. Giles' Church), Baroque church constructed between 1688-1691.
• Schöndorfer Kirche, an early medieval fortified church, built before 824.
• Museum Heimathaus with Wolfsegg Iron

Famous residents

• Leonhard Schiemer, an important figure in the Anabaptist movement was born in Vöcklabruck around 1500.
• Princess Alexandra of Hanover, the daughter of Ernst August V, Prince of Hanover and Caroline, Princess of Hanover was born in Vöcklabruck on 20 July 1999.
• Jim Silye, Canadian politician and sportsman.
• Wolfgang Holzmair, renowned baritone recitalist and opera singer, born in Vöcklabruck in 1952.
• Gerhard Narholz, production music composer/conductor born in Vöcklabruck in 1937.
• Oskar Czerwenka

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Austria

Twin towns — Sister cities

Vöcklabruck is twinned with:

• Český Krumlov, Czech Republic
• Hauzenberg, Germany
• Slovenj Gradec, Slovenia

External links

• Official website (German)
• Webcam of Vöcklabruck