!!!Laa an der Thaya

Laa an der Thaya, Lower Austria, town in the district of Mistelbach, 
alt. 183 m, pop. 6,280, area 72.89 km%%sup 2/%. Junction in 
the northern part of the Weinviertel region close to the border with 
the Czech Republic. - District court, District commission, branch 
office, job centre, revenue office, office of weights and measures, 
customs office, customs post, Chamber of Agriculture, health insurance 
agency, Chamber of Labour. Gymnasium, community centre, beer museum 
(in the castle), local South Moravian heritage museum "Thayaland" in 
the old town hall. Schools: Bundesgymnasium and Bundesrealgymnasium, 
Handelsakademie (commercial academy), gewerbliche Berufsschule 
(vocational school). Border area fair, Laa cultural festival. 2,472 
persons employed (1991), 55 % in the tertiary sector; branches of 
industry: chemical industry (citric acid etc.), automobile industry 
(trailers), liquor production, brewery. - Archaeological findings from 
the Bell-beaker Culture, the last part of the late Neolithic period. 
First documentary mention of a planned settlement in 1150. Town 
charter between 1198 and 1230, renewed in 1621. Parish church from the 
late Romanesque, early Gothic period (around 1240, restoration in 
Baroque style 1720-1745) includes a Gothic crucifix (around 1300) and 
a west portal (around 1700) by J. B. Fischer v. Erlach; 
Buergerspitalskirche church in Gothic style; remains of the medieval 
fortification; castle (first documentary mention in 1413, extension 
during the 15%%sup th/%  and 16%%sup th/%  centuries); watch tower and 
gate tower; remains of the town wall; mill (16%%sup th/%  century); 
Old Town Hall (core 13%%sup th/%  century); Trinity Column 
(18%%sup th/%  century); pillory (1575); column dedicated to the 
Virgin Mary (1680).

!Literature
R. Fuernkranz (ed.), Kulturhefte L., 4 vols., 1983-85; 
Oesterr. Staedtebuch, vol. IV, part 2, Die Staedte Niederoesterreichs, 
1976.


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