Weiz#

Weiz, Styria, town in the district of Weiz, alt. 479 m, pop. 8,474, area 5.07 km2, on the River Weizbach, northeast of Graz. - District Commission, District Court, employment services, tax office and office of surveying, chamber of labour, economic chamber, district chamber of agriculture and forestry, regional health and social insurance agency with outpatient clinic, hospital, Weberhaus cultural centre, skating rink, Lebenshilfe welfare organisation, youth and cultural centre, secondary school with special emphasis on music, Bundesgymnasium and Bundesrealgymnasium secondary schools, commercial academy, upper secondary school of engineering, advanced-level commercial school, Kolping home for students, pedagogical centre, office of the school psychological service, institute of nutritional and general counselling, "Weizer Zeitung" newspaper; 6,422 people employed (1991), around 53 % of whom in trade and industry; electrical engineering branch is predominant, subsidiaries of Elin company (energy use, energy supply and transformers), mechanical engineering and steel construction, production of engines, generators and transformers; construction industry, metal processing (galvanising plant, overhead cable fittings), wood processing (parquet floors, in the municipality of Naas), brick works with concrete factory; electricity works. - Founded before 1188, awarded the status of town in 1932; Romanesque and Gothic Tabor Church (documented mention of a church in 1188), choir 14th century, extended in Baroque style (1644), elaborate frescoes (13th -15th centuries), high altar with painting by J. A. Moelk (1771), organ by F. Schwarz (1769), bell (around 1400), late-Roman tombstones outside the church; late-Baroque pilgrimage church dedicated to the Virgin Mary on Weizberg hill (alt. 536 m, documented mention of the parish in 1147, reconstruction in 1757/58) with richly decorated with frescoes (1771) by J. A. Moelk, high altar by V. Koeniger, side altars and pulpit by J. Peyer; Ratmannsdorf palace (1555-1565, today the district court) with windows in Renaissance style; Ober-Radmannsdorf ruin (12th century).

Literature#