!!!Waldviertel

Waldviertel Region (region north-west of the Manhartsberg Hill), flat 
upland area in north-western Lower Austria; until the fall of the Iron 
Curtain in 1989 the region was relatively secluded, suffering from 
unemployment and exodus. Geologically the Waldviertel region is part 
of the  Bohemian Massif (in the west mainly granite, in the east 
gneiss and crystalline limestone and loess in the Horn Bay); it is 
characterised by continental plateau climate and comprises an area of 
about 4,600 km%%sup 2/%; derives its name from the region´s 
former wealth of forests (Wald = wood or forest). In the north the 
Waldviertel region borders on the Czech Republic, in the west on Upper 
Austria, in the south on the River Danube ( Wachau Valley) and in the 
east on  Manhartsberg Hill (537 m). Geographically the 
Waldviertel region is divided into a higher western part (upper 
Waldviertel) and a lower eastern part (lower Waldviertel). Some of the 
highest elevations in the Waldviertel region are the Grosser Peilstein 
(1,061 m), Weinsberg (1,041 m), Tischberg (1,063 m) and 
Nebelstein (1,017 m) mountains. Other unique features of the 
western Waldviertel are the granite blocks or so-called Wackelsteine 
(rocking stones, e.g. in Blockheide nature park near Gmuend) and the 
high moorland. The north-western Waldviertel forms the main European 
watershed between the River Elbe and the River Danube; the River 
Lainsitz flows towards the River Elbe. Other important rivers in the 
Waldviertel region are the Zwettl (in the west), the Thaya (north), 
the Krems (south) and the Ysper (south); the River Kamp flows through 
central and eastern parts of the Waldviertel, with 3 reservoirs at 
Ottenstein, Dobra and Thurnberg. In 1991 16 % of the total 
population of Lower Austria (231,000 persons) lived in the Waldviertel 
region; in 1981-1991 populations figures dropped (decreasing birth 
rates, exodus). Agriculture in the western Waldviertel concentrates on 
field husbandry (brewer´s barley, rye, oat, potatoes and in 
milder areas also hop), forestry (approx. 43 % of the western 
Waldviertel region are forests) and livestock husbandry (dairy 
husbandry and stock breeding) and fish farming. The eastern 
Waldviertel is dominated by field husbandry (wheat, barley, sugar 
beet, maize, rape, and sunflowers). Alternative crops such as poppy 
and medicinal and culinary herbs are being increasingly cultivated 
throughout the Waldviertel. Wine-growing spreads from the  Weinviertel 
Region to the lower Kamp Valley (Langenlois). Industry is concentrated 
in the north-western part of the Waldviertel region (mainly in the 
municipalities of Gmuend, Schrems, Heidenreichstein, Waidhofen an der 
Thaya and Gross-Siegharts); the most important industrial sectors are 
electrical engineering, electronics, glass, wood, stone (granite) and 
the building trade. In Krems an der Donau in the south-east the 
economy centres on chemistry, steel and furniture. The Waldviertel is 
a traditional textile region ( Bandlkramerlandl); textile museums in 
Gross-Siegharts, Waidhofen an der Thaya and Weitra. An industrial 
estate has being established in Gmuend, together with the Czech town 
of Cěske Velenice, to promote the regional economy. 
Supra-regional communication is also improved and furthered by 
increased telematic facilities e.g. the Telehaus Waldviertel. It is 
mainly small and medium enterprises that offer innovative products 
(e.g. Designcenter Schrems). Over the past years tourism in the 4 
Waldviertel tourism associations (Kamptal, Waldviertel-Mitte, Oberes 
Waldviertel and Thayatal) has increased, particularly in the wellness 
sector (e.g. Harbach mud bath, Bad Grosspertholz and Gars am Kamp); 
other tourist activities on offer are hiking and cycling, and 
cross-country skiing in the winter. More than 30 % of the approx. 
890,000 overnight stays in the Waldviertel region in 1993 were spent 
in the Harbach spa (mud bath) and in Litschau (holiday village). 
Evidence of the rich history of the Waldviertel region can be found in 
the abbeys (Zwettl, Altenburg and Geras), fortresses 
(Heidenreichstein, Rappottenstein), castles (Weitra, Rosenau, 
Ottenstein, Rosenburg and Riegersburg) and ruins. The most important 
railway line to the Waldviertel region is the Franz-Josef line via 
Tulln, Eggenburg, Goepfritz an der Wild and Gmuend towards Prague. The 
main road into the Waldviertel region is the federal road leading from 
Stockerau via Maissau, Horn and Goepfritz an der Wild to Schrems. 
Important villages: Gross-Gerungs, Weitra, Gmuend, Schrems, 
Heidenreichstein, Waidhofen an der Thaya, Gross-Siegharts, Allentsteig 
(military training area) and the town of Zwettl in the western 
Waldviertel region; in the eastern Waldviertel lie Langenlois, Gars am 
Kamp, Horn, Eggenburg, Drosendorf-Stadt, Hardegg and the 
region´s capital Krems an der Donau at the outlet of the Wachau 
valley.

!Literature
A. Komlosy, Waldviertler Textilstrasse, 1990; 
Wirtschaftsfoerderungsinstitut (ed.), Designlandschaft Waldviertel, 
1991; A. Bartonek, B. Benes, W. Mueller-Funk and F. Polleross (ed.), 
Kulturfuehrer Waldviertel, Weinviertel, Suedmaehren, 1993.


%%language
[Back to the Austrian Version|AEIOU/Waldviertel|class='wikipage austrian']
%%

[{FreezeArticle author='AEIOU' template='Lexikon_1995_englisch'}]
[{ALLOW view All}][{ALLOW comment All}][{ALLOW edit FreezeAdmin}]