!!!Stadt

Town (German: Stadt), historically, a privileged major settlement ( 
oppidum); the oldest town in Austria was a Celtic hill settlement on  
Magdalensberg. In Roman times there were eleven towns (municipia) on 
the territory of contemporary Austria; all of them were destroyed 
during the migration of the Germanic Peoples. Mediaeval cities and 
towns have existed since the 12th century; they were originally 
characterised by fortifications and had the right to hold markets; 
later they were endowed with a measure of autonomy and their citizens 
were entitled to participate in decision-making. Charters were granted 
by the Princes (Bishop Konrad of Passau chartered St. Poelten in 
1159, Duke Leopold VI granted Enns its charter in 1212 and Vienna 
in 1221), later on also by liege-lords, after 1848 by the Emperor, 
from 1918 the State (Federal) Government, since 1925 by the Provincial 
Diets.

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Since the Provisional Municipalities Act (Provisorisches 
Gemeindegesetz) of 1849 the title of Stadt has carried no legal 
significance; the title "Stadt mit eigenem Statut" 
(chartered city or town), introduced at the same time, indicates that 
the city or town in question is directly subordinated to the Province.

!Literature
E. Lichtenberger, Stadtgeographie - Begriffe, Konzepte, 
Modelle, Prozesse, 1991.


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