Perchtoldsdorf | |
|---|---|
 Market square with Fortified Tower | |
 Coat of arms | |
  Perchtoldsdorf Location within Austria | |
| Coordinates:48°7′N16°16′E / 48.117°N 16.267°E /48.117; 16.267 | |
| Country | Austria |
| State | Lower Austria |
| District | Mödling |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Andrea Kö (ÖVP) |
| Area | |
• Total | 12.6 km2 (4.9 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 265 m (869 ft) |
| Population (2018-01-01)[2] | |
• Total | 15,047 |
| • Density | 1,200/km2 (3,100/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 2380 |
| Area code | 01 |
| Website | www.perchtoldsdorf.at |
Perchtoldsdorf (German:[ˈpɛʁçtɔlt͡sdɔʁf]ⓘ; colloquiallyPetersdorf) is amarket town in theMödling District, in the Austrian state ofLower Austria. It is known chiefly for itswinemaking.
It is located immediately at theVienna city limits, south of theLiesing borough and about 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) southwest of the city centre. The western parts of the municipal area border on theVienna Woods mountain range.
With a population of 14,614 (as of 2012[update]), Perchtoldsdorf is the district's second largest municipality, after the administrative seatMödling. It is served by theVienna S-Bahn network and can also be reached by bus and tramway lines run by theWiener Linien public transport company.
The area formed acoast region of theParatethys sea during themiocene epoch, documented by numerous fossilizations of marine creatures.Neolithic circular enclosures suggest the assumption that the plain was continuously settled from about 6000 BC onwards.
Perchtoldsdorf Castle probably was laid out before 1000 AD, part of a chain of fortifications along the eastern rim of the Vienna Woods. One LordHeinricus de Pertoldesdorf was mentioned in an 1138 deed, during theBabenberg rule, while the region belonged of theMarch of Austria. The Babenbergmargraves had to defend the newly conquered territories from the recently displacedMagyars on behalf of theOttonian andSalian emperors. Their Perchtoldsdorf vassals continued to rule from the castle even when the Babenberg dynasty became extinct in 1246.
Upon the death of Otto von Perchtoldsdorf in 1286, the control passed to theHouse of Habsburg, uncontested rulers over theDuchy of Austria since the 1278Battle on the Marchfeld. During this late medieval period, the settlement was grantedmarket rights and Perchtoldsdorf Castle was used as awittum residence for the widowed duchess-consorts of the Habsburg dynasty, includingBeatrice of Hohenzollern, the widow of DukeAlbert III of Austria. Duchess Beatrice established a hospital in 1407, now demolished, and an attached church which is still preserved.
The conflict between the Habsburg emperorFrederick III and his younger brother ArchdukeAlbert VI of Austria started an unstable period in the region. In 1446, many homes in the town were burned during the invasion of theHungarian regentJohn Hunyadi. During this time, the castle was occupied by various rival forces, including mercenaries of KingMatthias Corvinus from 1477 until about 1490, when Frederick's son KingMaximilian I re-established Habsburg control over the area. This turbulent period interrupted the construction of thetower house (Wehrturm), the town's landmark with a height of 60 metres (200 ft), which started in 1450 and was finished about 1521. The tower and other fortifications permitted a successful defense of the city against theOttoman troops under the command ofSuleiman the Magnificent during the 1529Siege of Vienna, while the surrounding area was devastated.
AnOttoman assault in a second siege in July 1683 destroyed the town and ended in a massacre. The Ottomans reneged on their surrender terms after the city capitulated and the keys had been handed over. When the Viennese defense commander, CountErnst Rüdiger von Starhemberg heard of the post-surrender destruction of Perchtoldsdorf, he decided he could not trust a similar offer from the Ottoman commanderKara Mustafa Pasha to surrenderVienna.[3]
In 1842, Perchtoldsdorf received access to the AustrianSouthern Railway toWiener Neustadt, whereafter the town became a tourist destination for vacations and visits to the nearby region of the Vienna Woods. It also continued a long history ofviticulture and wine cultivation as the primary agricultural product.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 11,486 | — |
| 1981 | 13,451 | +17.1% |
| 1991 | 14,051 | +4.5% |
| 2001 | 13,998 | −0.4% |
| 2011 | 14,566 | +4.1% |
The early full-colour feature filmThe Miracle was partly shot on location in and around the parish church in October 1912.[4]
Seats in the municipal council (Gemeinderat) as of 2010[update] elections:
Perchtoldsdorf istwinned with:
Donauwörth, Germany (since 1973)| International | |
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| National | |
| Geographic | |
