Tulln an der Donau (lit.'Tulln on theDanube') is a historic town in theAustrian state ofLower Austria, the administrative seat ofTulln District. Because of its abundance of parks and gardens, Tulln is often referred to asBlumenstadt ("City of Flowers"), and "The City of Togetherness" following the initiative of Peter Eisenschenk, Mayor of Tulln.
The town is situated in the centre of theTulln Basin stretching to theVienna Woods in the south, about 40 kilometres (25 mi) northwest of the Austrian capitalVienna. The main part of its built-up area is located on the southern bank of the Danube river.
The municipality of Tulln an der Donau consists of the followingcadastral communities: Frauenhofen, Langenlebarn-Oberaigen, Langenlebarn-Unteraigen, Mollersdorf, Neuaigen, Nitzing, Staasdorf, Trübensee, and Tulln Proper; while further subdivided into populated places (with population in brackets as of 1 January 2022).
Tulln is one of the oldest towns in Austria. Although it was settled in pre-Roman times (the nameTulln is presumably ofCeltic origin), it gained importance as theRoman fort ofComagena (Comagenis). In the final years of Roman rule,Saint Severinus of Noricum is said to have visited the city, saving it from thebarbarians.
The town was first mentioned asTullina in an 859 deed, when the area was part of theBavarianmarcha orientalis. It gained importance as a residence of the nobleHouse of Babenberg, ruling asAustrian margraves from 976 onwards. Tulln lost its significance after the Babenbergs relocated their residence to Vienna.
An importantsugar producing plant,Agrana Austria, is located in Tulln. Several important trade fairs, including camping equipment and boat shows, also take place in the town. Various state institutions of Lower Austria, such as the fire brigade or the disaster relief service, have their seat in Tulln. The Federal School of Aviation is also located in Tulln.
The 37-seat town council is dominated by theAustrian People's Party, which currently holds 19 mandates. The town administration has lately carried out extensive urban traffic reform, extensively changing traffic lights with roundabouts, of which Tulln now has 22. Two bridges span the Danube in Tulln. TheFranz Josef Railway crosses the Danube in Tulln, continuing viaKrems an der Donau toGmünd.Der Standard, a Viennese daily newspaper, is produced in Tulln.
According to theNibelungenlied, it was in Tulln thatAttila the Hun sawKriemhild (theNibelungenlied's name forGudrun) and proposed to her. A fountain, theNibelungen-Brunnen ("the Nibelungen Fountain") was dedicated to this event in 2005.
