Pöls#

Poels, Styria, municipality in the district of Judenburg, alt. 790 m, pop. 3,072, area 33,52 km2, industrial town on the River Poelsbach, north-west of Judenburg, on an old Pass Road between Rottenmanner Tauern Mountains and Triebener Tauern Mountains. - Four run-of-river stations on the River Poels, mineral water bottling (Sauerbrunn Palace in cadastral district of Thalheim); paper and cellulose industry, packaging manufacture, summer tourism ("biotope" swimming pool). - First documented mention 860 as "Pelisam", hammer works from the 15th  century, later production of scythes, between 1865 and 1901 ironworks, Reifensteiner paper mill since 1700. - Parish church, Roman-Gothic pier basilica (first documented mention in 1147) with columnar high altar (1735), altars and pulpit by B. Prandtstaetter, late Gothic statue of mercy (around 1520), crucifix (around 1520) by Master Caspar of Friesach, Roman circular ossuary, Gothic column with lantern; east of Poels Gusterheim Palace (1661-1663); ruin of Reifenstein Castle (first documented mention in 1145); ruin of Offenburg Castle.

Literature#