!!!Murau

Murau, Styria, town in the district of Murau, alt. 829 m, pop. 
2,443, area 10.74 km%%sup 2/%, main town in the uppermost Styrian 
Mur Valley, at the mouth of the Rantenbach stream. - District 
commission, local court, district school inspectorate, employment 
services, economic chamber, chamber of labour, district chamber of 
agriculture and forestry, district health and social insurance office 
(branch), counselling centre, Protestant diocesan museum, town 
library, world championship hall, "Murau West" facilities for sports 
and recreational activities, 5 ski jumps (120, 80, 50, 30, 20 m), 
several types of secondary school such as 
Bundes-Oberstufen-Realgymnasium (BORG), vocational part-time school of 
commerce (Hoehere Bundeslehranstalt, HBLA), power station of the Murau 
public works (1907, stages of completion: 1925, 1954, 1984/84, 
2000 kW). Nearby, in the municipality of Stolzalpe, Stolzalpe 
special hospital. 1,728 employees (1991), about 74 % of which in 
the service sector; also: brewery, metal processing, crafts and 
trades, tourism (35,988 overnight stays). - Early settlements (Bronze 
Age and Roman times); founded by the Liechtenstein dynasty, first 
documented mention 1250, town charter 1298, in the Middle Ages 
transfer point for iron and salt. - 2 of the former 7 town gates have 
been preserved, i.e. Friesachertor (14%%sup th/% /15%%sup th/%  
centuries) and Gissuebeltor (14%%sup th/%  century, 1939 exposed); 
Obermurau Castle dominates the town, rebuilt 1628-1630, castle chapel 
with altar (around 1655), ceremonial rooms with stucco (1641); early 
Gothic parish church (consecrated 1296), important pier basilica with 
impressive crossing tower, frescoes (14%%sup th/%  to 15%%sup th/%  
centuries), high altar (first documented mention 1655) with 
crucifixion group (around 1500), gravestones with coats of arms 
(16%%sup th/%  to 18%%sup th/%  centuries); in front of the church, 
Gothic lamp post (15%%sup th/%  century); Gothic filial church of St. 
Anna (around 1400) with Gothic glass paintings (around 1410-1420), 
frescoes (15%%sup th/%  century) and winged altar-piece (around 1515); 
Baroque Stations of the Cross along the path leading to St. 
Leonhard´s Church (1%%sup st/%  third of the 15%%sup th/%  
century), high altar with 3 late Gothic statues (around 1520), ivory 
crucifixion group (end of 17%%sup th/%  century); former hospital 
church (first documented mention 1329, used for Protestant religious 
service since 1979/80); Capuchin monastery (museum of local history 
and culture) and Capuchin church (consecrated 1648), high altar with 
altarpiece (1780) by J. V. Lederwasch, banner captured at the 
battle of Peterwardein in the Loreto Chapel; Gruenfels Castle (first 
documented mention 1366); town hall (former fortified tower 1578-1879 
and since 1920 town hall); old patrician houses (main parts from late 
Middle Ages and 17%%sup th/%  century); column of the Virgin (1717).

!Literature
E. Gasteiger (ed.), 650 Jahre Stadt Murau, 1949; F. 
Tremel, Beitraege zur Geschichte von Murau, 1957; K. Fussi, Murau von 
der Stadtwerdung bis zum Ausgang des Mittelalters, master´s 
thesis, Klagenfurt 1985.


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