Groß-Siegharts#

Gross-Siegharts, Lower Austria, town in the district of Waidhofen an der Thaya, alt. 534 m, pop. 3,236, area 44.28 km2, in the northern Waldviertel region. Centre of the former so-called "Bandlkramerlandl" (region of textile production, start of textile production around 1720, despite the textile sector´s decreasing importance today, still has several textile-producing companies). - Landesfachschule fuer Textilindustrie (college of textile industry); production sector predominant (approx. 62 % of people employed 1991): electronic industry (testing devices for the aeroplane industry), dying of textiles (large silk weaving mill in the neighbouring municipality of Dietmanns); also several manufacturing enterprises: production of textiles (braids, labels and ribbons), veneers, decorative model pistols; wood processing, steel construction. - Town status since 1928. Baroque parish church (1700-1732) with dome frescoes by C. Carlone (1727), castle (first documented in 1304, enlarged 1532, 1570-1580 and 1710-1720), property of the town since 1891, now town hall and textile museum.

Literature#