Völkermarkt


Völkermarkt is a town of about 11,000 inhabitants in the Austrian state of Carinthia, the administrative capital of Völkermarkt District. It is located within the Drava valley east of the Carinthian capital Klagenfurt, north of the Karawanken mountain range.

Subdivisions

The municipality of Völkermarkt comprises 26 Katastralgemeinden :
The area, once part of the ancient Noricum province, in the 7th century was resettled by Slavic tribes, who lived within the Principality of Carantania. The migration concentrated around the former Roman settlement of Juenna
The descendants of Count Siegfried I of Sponheim, who about 1035 had come to the Duchy of Carinthia as a follower of Emperor Conrad II, had a trading post erected at the site about 1090, where a church was built soon afterwards at the behest of the archbishop of Salzburg. In 1217 Duke Bernhard von Spanheim gave orders to build a bridge across the Drava River and had the settlement rebuilt in 1231. Völkermarkt was granted town privileges in the 13th century already and developed quickly as an important centre for trade in iron from the surrounding ore mines.
In the Carinthian Plebiscite of 1920, a majority of the population voted for adhesion to the Republic of Austria. On 18 September 1979, the Yugoslav Department of State Security firebombed the Völkermarkt town hall, severely injuring three men, including two of the agents, and causing heavy damages.

Population

According to the 2001 census 2.6% of the population were Carinthian Slovenes.
VillageNumber of people 1991Percent of Slovenes 1991Percent of Slovenes 1951
Arlsdorf/Orlača vas537.5%/
Bach/Potok6212.9%75.4%
Gattersdorf/Štriholče20212.4%31.6%
Krenobitsch/Hrenovče749.5%31.6%
Penk/Klopče3119.4%57.7%
Rammersdorf/Ramovča vas6010.0%49.3%
St.Peter a.W./Šentpeter n.V29710.1%49.4%
Wandelitzen/Vodenica547.4%22.4%
Attendorf/Vata vas342.9%16.4%
Berg ob Attendorf/Rute n.V.480%27.5%
Ladratschen/Tračje267.7%2.2%
Obersielach/Gornje Sele1361.5%11.1%
RatschitschachRačiče904.4%77.4%
Reifnitz/Ribnica933.2%71.2%
Unterlinden/Podlipa329.4%10.9%
Wernzach/Brnce340%97.6%
Gurtschitschach/Gurčiče470%91.6%
Bösenort/Hudi Kraj170%38.5%
Rakollach/Rakole180%29.5%

Transport

The town has access to the Austrian Süd Autobahn with two junctions. The projected Koralm Railway is expected to improve the area's transport facilities.

Personalities

Twin towns – Sister cities

Völkermarkt is twinned with: