!!!Magdalensberg

Magdalensberg Mountain (called Helenenberg until 1583), Carinthia, 
alt.1,058 m, one of the four sacred mountains of the  
Vierberge-Wallfahrt. Situated to the north-east of the Zollfeld region 
and the market town of Maria Saal, Magdalensberg Mountain is the site 
of some of the most outstanding Austrian excavations including 
pre-Roman fortifications and a place of worship. 120 metres below 
these fortifications, extensive ruins of late Celtic and early Roman 
settlements (including a forum, government and residential buildings, 
baths and workshops) have been excavated. A Late Gothic pilgrimage 
church dedicated to St. Helen and Mary Magdalene (first 
documented mention in 1262 and rebuilt in 1462) houses an altarpiece 
with side wings (1502) made by the woodcarving workshops at 
St. Veit. Next to the church is a pagan sacrificial altar. During 
late Celtic and early Roman times the settlements on Magdalensberg 
Mountain formed a town extending over an area of about 
3 km%%sup 2/%. During the Celtic period it served commercial 
purposes  (Regnum Noricum), while it was turned into an administrative 
centre after the peaceful occupation of the region (then called  
Noricum) by Roman settlers in 15 B.C. In 1502 the  Juengling vom 
Magdalensberg was found on Magdalensberg Mountain. Further 
archeological finds are exhibited in the museum housed by a restored 
Roman building.

!Literature
G. Piccottini, Die Stadt auf dem Magdalensberg und das 
fruehe Noricum, 1988; idem, Bauen und Wohnen in der Stadt auf dem 
Magdalensberg, 1989; idem and H. Vetters, Fuehrer durch die 
Ausgrabungen auf dem Magdalensberg, 1990; W. Wadl (Ed.), 
Magdalensberg, 1995; H. Straube, Ferrum Noricum und die Stadt auf dem 
Magdalensberg.


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