Steyr

Steyr is a city in the country of Austria, in the area called Upper Austria. It is an important place because it helps manage the nearby Steyr-Land District, even though the city itself is not part of that district. Many people live in Steyr, making it the twelfth most populated town in Austria and the third largest city in Upper Austria.

Steyr has always been good at making things, which has made it well-known. Because of this, several big companies have their main offices in Steyr. One of these was called Steyr-Daimler-Puch, and today, its successor is Steyr Motors. These companies have helped make Steyr famous around the world.

Geography

Steyr is in the Traunviertel region. The Steyr and Enns rivers meet near the town centre by Lamberg Castle and St Michael's Church. To the south are hills that reach toward the Upper Austrian Prealps. To the north, the land slopes down toward the Danube River near Enns. In the east, Steyr borders Lower Austria.

Steyr is an old town with modern parts. It marked its 1,000th anniversary in 1980 after fixing much of its historic buildings. The town centre around the Stadtplatz, or town square, was restored after World War II. One well-known building is the Bummerlhaus, a fine example of Gothic architecture in Central Europe.

The city includes the areas of Christkindl, Föhrenschacherl, Gleink, Hinterberg, Jägerberg, Sarning, Stein, and Steyr.

History

Celts lived in the area around 600 BC. The name of the Stiria River comes from them. Their land became part of the Roman Empire in 15 BC. A place called Gesodunum might have been near Steyr.

In the 6th century, people from Slavic areas moved in, but were later replaced by people from Bavaria. A fortress was built above the Steyr River, first called Styraburg in 980. From 1055, Steyr Castle was important for the Otakar family, who were known for mining iron.

In 1180, a leader named Ottokar IV became a duke, but when he died in 1192, the land went to the Babenberg rulers of Austria. Steyr stayed important for making iron tools, especially knives and weapons.

Later, new rulers took over, and Steyr kept growing. In the 1800s, a factory was started that made weapons and cars. During World War II, Steyr was bombed, but the city survived. After the war, it became part of a neutral Austria.

Population

Local council

The local council is called the Gemeinderat and has 36 members. In elections in 2015, the results were:

• SPÖ got 16 seats
• FPÖ got 10 seats
• ÖVP got 5 seats
• The Greens - The Green Alternative got 4 seats
• NEOS got 1 seat

Economy

Steyr has many factories that make car parts. Some big companies there are BMW, MAN, SKF, Steyr Motors, and ZF Steyr. Other important companies in Steyr work in different areas, like Steyr-Mannlicher.

Infrastructure

Steyr has a big hospital called Pyhrn-Eisenwurzen Klinikum Steyr. It has many beds and helps people stay healthy. It works with universities in Vienna, Graz, and Innsbruck to teach future doctors and nurses.

The city uses a special heating system to keep buildings and factories warm. This system uses clean energy from a biomass plant. Steyr does not have its own airport. The closest airports are Linz Airport, Salzburg Airport, and Vienna Airport.

Sport

Steyr has a professional football team called SK Vorwärts Steyr. The team plays its games at the Vorwärts Stadium.

Notable people

Steyr has been home to many famous people. The composer Franz Schubert wrote his famous Trout Quintet there while visiting in 1819. Another well-known composer, Anton Bruckner, served as an organist at the local parish church. Other notable individuals from Steyr include author Marlen Haushofer and cartographer Johannes Stabius. The city has also produced many talented musicians, engineers, and artists over the years.

Steyr has also seen many successful athletes. Footballers like Helmut Köglberger and Hannes Trinkl, who won a bronze medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics, come from this city. Many other sports stars have represented their countries in various competitions.

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Austria

Steyr works with several cities around the world as friends. These cities include:

• Bethlehem, Palestine
• Kettering, USA
• Plauen, Germany
• San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy