Wattens#

Wattens, Tirol, market town in the district of Innsbruck-Land, alt. 564 m, pop. 6,804, area 10.84 km2, industrial town in the Lower Inn Valley, at the south foot of Karwendel Mountains. - Regional health and social insurance agency, chamber of labour, vocational training institute (BFI) with re-training centre, Pater-Jakob-Gapp-Haus and youth centres, social centre of the chamber of labour, multi-purpose hall, Wattens museum (with archaeological finds from the burial ground at Volders), adult education centre, stadium, two transformer stations, power station (municipality of Kolsass) and waterworks, Wattener Lizum military training area in the vicinity; 5,327 people employed (1991), around 79 % of whom in the production sector: cut glass works ( Swarovski & Co), paper factory; building and construction industry, tourism (33,525 overnight stays in 1992). - Documented mention in 930, foundation of the oldest paper mill in northern Tirol in 1559, economic upswing driven by the Swarovski works in the early 20th century; old parish church (documented mention in 1318, classicistic reconstruction 1810/11) with late-Gothic portal and late-Rococo altars; new parish church (consecrated in 1958); Protestant Church of Christ (1975-1977); 1995 Swarovski-Kristallwelten by C. Wiederin and A.  Heller.

Literature#