!!!Judenburg
Judenburg, Styria, town in the district of Judenburg, alt. 737 m,
pop. 10,581 (1981: 11,188), area 13.21 km%%sup 2/%, traffic
junction and traditional commercial centre between the Seetaler Alps
and Aichfeld plain in the Mur valley in northern Styria. - District
Commission, District Court, district building authority, Employment
Services, tax office, Office of Weights, Measures, and Surveying,
Chamber of Labour, Economic Chamber, District and Provincial Chamber
of Agriculture and Forestry, district health and social insurance
agency, branch of the district prison of Leoben, hospital, Lebenshilfe
day-care centre and residence for disabled people, school psychology
counselling centre, sports stadium, sports hall, municipal library,
secondary schools: Bundesgymnasium, Bundesrealgymnasium,
Handelsakademie (commercial academy), Bundesanstalt fuer
Kindergartenpaedagogik (kindergarten teacher training institute),
Vocational Training Institute, provincial residence hall for
school-children. High degree of commuting (4,597 employed persons in
1991), well-developed service sector (approximately 69 % of
gainfully employed persons), manufacturing: high-grade
steel-processing and metal-processing industry (manufacture of leaf
springs, slit coils, profiles, rock-drilling machinery), plastics
processing (gaskets), manufacture of cardboard articles, soap factory.
- Prehistoric and Roman finds from the surrounding area are exhibited
in the town museum; the famous Strettweger Kultwagen (around 600
B.C.) and a cache of Roman coins (2,800 Antoniniane) were discovered
in Strettweg near Judenburg (now in the Provincial Museum of Styria in
Graz). First documented mention as "Judinburch" in 1074. In 1240 the
town was erected around the market place; the fortified towers and
parts of the outer walls are still standing; first preserved town
charter 1277; in the Middle Ages the most important commercial centre
in Styria (iron and salt trading with Venice); castle with
knight´s quarters. In the late Middle Ages centre for an
important school of painters and sculptors (e.g. Hans von Judenburg,
Woelfl der Maler). Tradition of iron processing since the 16%%sup th/%
century, in the 19%%sup th/% century numerous hammer works and scythe
forges, from 1906 Steirische Gussstahlwerke (Styrian Cast Steel
Works). Parish church (built after 1413, enlarged after 1478, rebuilt
1504-1537, from 1670 renovated in baroque style, 1899-1902 renovation
of the exterior) with10 baroque statues of the apostles (circa 1750)
and limestone Madonna (circa 1420-1425) by Hans von Judenburg, since
1970 a collection of religious artworks in the north galleries;
free-standing Stadtturm (75-m-high watchtower, built in 1449-1509,
made higher in 1841/1842); former Jesuit church and college (from
1620, originally built as Augustinian eremitic monastery in 1357, now
festival hall and town museum); Magdalenenkirche (church of Mary
Magdalene,14%%sup th/% century) with Gothic stained-glass windows by
the "Judenburg Werkstatt" ("Judenburg Workshop") and frescoes
(14%%sup th/% century); Calvary Church (1720-1722); former Franciscan
monastery (established around 1257); former Franciscan Poor Clares
convent (14%%sup th/% century); former castle (now courthouse) built
in 1596-1600, renovated by F. P. Carlone in 1677-1679; Weyer
Castle in Feeberg valley (16%%sup th/% century); patrician residences:
Torhof (1616/1617) and Grubhof (16%%sup th/% century, enlarged 1652);
Neu-Liechtenstein Palace (around 1650); Liechtenstein castle ruins
(documented mention in 1140), parts of the main living quarters
preserved. "Judenburger Sommer" (summer festival since 1990,
August-September, concerts and exhibitions).
!Literature
J. Andritsch, Judenburg Stadtchronik, 1989; Oesterr.
Staedtebuch, vol. VI, part 3, Die Staedte der Steiermark, 1990.
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