Leoben is an industrial city in Styria, in the Murtal on a double loop of the Mur and with around 25,000 inhabitants, the second largest city in Styria. The city is the economic center of Upper Styria and is home to the Austrian Montan University and a technical college. An important steelworks in the Donawitz district, the seat of the Gösser brewery in the Göß district.
Hauptplatz Hauptplatz in the Wikimedia Commons media directory: town
houses with Gothic or Renaissance core, baroque Hacklhaus, old town
hall (1485, tower from 1568), plague column, angel fountain, miner's
fountain
City parish church of St. Xavier. (1665)
Romanesque
Church of St. James. Gothic after 1500, later rebuilt in Baroque
style
Mushroom Tower. (1616) (landmark of the city)
City
Theatre. Commons. (1790/91)
Göß Abbey
Maßenburg
ruins
Museums and collections
MuseumsCenter and Kunsthalle
Leoben. Tel .: +43 (0) 3842 4062-408, email:
kunsthalle@leoben.at.
With changing special exhibitions. Groups of 10 people or more by
appointment. Open: Tue-Sat 10 am–5pm.
Exhibition "Historical
Defense Weapons" in the Schwammerlturm. Open: Mon-Sat 12 p.m.-6 p.m.
Price: Free entry.
Donawitz Metallurgy Museum. Tel .: +43 (0)
50304 252261. Open: Tue 4-8pm and after registration. Price: Free
entry.
Gösser Brewing Museum. Tel .: +43 (0) 3842 2090-5802.
(Guided tours for individual visitors: April – October: Sat, Sun and
public holidays 11.00 a.m. and 3.00 p.m.; adults € 8,
schoolchildren: € 5. Group tours: all year round Mon – Sun, only
after prior registration, adults € 7, schoolchildren: € 4 .50)
By plane
The nearest airport is Graz Airport
(IATA code: GRZ, approx. 70 km). If you want to fly yourself, you
don't get much closer: the nearest airport is Kapfenberg (LOGK)
(approx. 25 km) with a 600 m grass runway.
By train
Alongside Bruck an der Mur, Leoben is an important rail hub in Upper
Styria.
All trains, including express trains on the Vienna –
Klagenfurt line, stop in Leoben.
All trains on the Schoberpass
route also stop in Leoben (Graz - Selzthal)
By bus
Flixbus
actually drives to Leoben. The bus stop is at the station forecourt.
By street
From Vienna via the A 2 to the Seebenstein junction
and on the S 6 to Leoben. From Salzburg or Linz or Passau via the A
1 or A 8 to Voralpenkreuz and on the A 9 to the St. Michael
junction, from there on the S 6 to Leoben.
The city has 7 inner-city bus routes as well as buses to the neighboring communities (bus timetable, as of May 2013).
The Leoben region, part of the Mur Valley, has evidence of human
activity from the Neolithic period, with archaeological finds indicating
early agricultural settlements. The valley’s strategic position along
the Mur River made it a natural corridor for trade and migration.
Roman Period (15 BCE–5th Century CE): Leoben was within the Roman
province of Noricum, a region rich in iron ore. The nearby settlement of
Flavia Solva (near modern Wagna) and mining operations in the Erzberg,
30 km north, highlight Roman activity. Iron extraction and processing,
crucial for Roman weaponry, laid the foundation for Leoben’s later
mining prominence. Roman roads connected the Mur Valley to larger
centers like Virunum (near Klagenfurt), fostering early trade networks.
Following the fall of the Roman Empire, the Mur Valley saw Slavic and
Bavarian migrations. Leoben’s early medieval history is tied to the
Duchy of Carantania, a Slavic state under Frankish influence by the 8th
century.
9th–10th Centuries: The region came under the control of
the Carolingian Empire, with Christianization efforts led by the
Archdiocese of Salzburg. The name “Liupina” (possibly derived from Old
Slavic for “beautiful” or a personal name) appears in records around
904, linked to a donation by Emperor Arnulf to noblewoman Engilscalk.
This marks the earliest reference to Leoben, suggesting a small
settlement focused on agriculture and trade.
11th Century: By 1000,
the March of Styria, under the Eppenstein dynasty, emerged, with Leoben
as a peripheral settlement. The Mur River facilitated trade, and early
iron mining in the surrounding hills supported local smithing.
Leoben’s medieval growth was driven by its market status,
ecclesiastical influence, and mining activities, shaping its role as a
regional center.
12th Century: Around 1170, Leoben is mentioned
as a market settlement under the Stubenberg family, vassals of the
Styrian margraves. The Mur River’s navigability supported trade in salt,
wine, and iron. The parish church of St. Jakob, documented since the
12th century, became a spiritual focal point, later rebuilt in Gothic
style.
13th Century: Leoben received market rights by 1261–1262 under
Ottokar II of Bohemia, who controlled Styria. The city’s fortified walls
and Schwabenviertel (Swabian quarter) emerged, reflecting its growing
prosperity. The 1290 founding of the Maßhaus (customs house) for beer
tax collection underscores Leoben’s economic role.
14th–15th
Centuries: The Habsburgs gained control of Styria in 1282, integrating
Leoben into their domain. Iron mining expanded in the Erzberg, with
Leoben as a processing and trade hub. The Gothic Hackenschmiede
(blacksmith’s forge), one of Europe’s oldest preserved, dates to this
period, highlighting the city’s metalworking tradition. The 1457 mention
of the Peter Tunner Haus, home to a mining pioneer, ties Leoben to its
metallurgical legacy.
Leoben’s early modern history reflects religious upheaval, economic
growth, and its role in Styria’s mining industry.
16th Century
Reformation: The Protestant Reformation swept through Styria, with
Leoben becoming a Protestant stronghold by the 1530s. The Jesuit
College, established later in 1613, countered this shift, reinforcing
Catholicism. The parish church of St. Jakob was adapted with Baroque
elements, reflecting Counter-Reformation influences.
Mining and
Trade: The Erzberg’s iron ore fueled Leoben’s economy, with guilds for
blacksmiths and miners thriving. The city’s market status was
formalized, and its walls were strengthened against Ottoman threats,
though Leoben avoided direct attacks during the 1529 and 1683 sieges of
Vienna.
17th–18th Centuries: The 1613 founding of the Jesuit College
marked Leoben’s educational growth, later evolving into the
Montanuniversität. The 1797 Peace of Leoben, signed on April 18 at the
Gartenpalais Eggenwald, was a defining moment. This preliminary treaty
between Napoleon Bonaparte and Archduke Charles of Austria halted French
advances in the War of the First Coalition, paving the way for the
Treaty of Campo Formio. The event elevated Leoben’s historical
significance, commemorated today with a plaque.
The 19th century transformed Leoben into an industrial and
intellectual center, driven by mining and education.
Industrial
Boom: The Industrial Revolution boosted Leoben’s iron and steel
industries, with the Erzberg supplying raw materials. The Donawitz
steelworks, established later, became a cornerstone of Styria’s economy.
Leoben’s breweries, including Gösser (founded 1860), thrived, leveraging
the city’s water resources.
Montanuniversität (1840): Founded as the
Styrian Mining School in Vordernberg in 1811, it relocated to Leoben in
1840, becoming the Montanuniversität Leoben in 1849 under Archduke
Johann. The university trained engineers like Peter Tunner, who
revolutionized metallurgy, cementing Leoben’s reputation as a mining
education hub.
Cultural Development: The 1848 revolutions led to
administrative reforms, with Leoben gaining city status. The
construction of the Stadtpfarrkirche St. Xaver (1778, rebuilt in the
19th century) and cultural institutions like the Leobener Stadttheater
(1790) enriched the city’s artistic life. The Schwabenviertel’s historic
buildings, with frescoed facades, preserved Leoben’s medieval charm.
Leoben’s 20th-century history reflects the challenges of global
conflicts, industrial shifts, and post-war recovery.
World War I
(1914–1918): Leoben’s steel industry supported the Austro-Hungarian war
effort, but economic hardship followed the empire’s collapse. The 1918
establishment of the First Austrian Republic integrated Leoben into a
new national framework.
Interwar Period: The Montanuniversität
expanded, and Leoben remained a steel production center. The 1938
Anschluss brought Nazi control, with the university and industries
repurposed for German war efforts.
World War II (1939–1945): Leoben’s
strategic industries made it a target, but it escaped major destruction.
The war’s end saw Soviet occupation (1945–1955), with the
Montanuniversität briefly disrupted. Post-war reconstruction focused on
steel and education, with voestalpine’s Donawitz plant becoming a global
steel leader.
Post-War Growth: The 1955 Austrian State Treaty
restored sovereignty, and Leoben thrived as an industrial and
educational hub. The 1960s saw urban expansion, with new residential
areas and the 1971 opening of the Leoben Justice Centre, Austria’s
largest prison, reflecting the city’s administrative role.
Today, Leoben is a vibrant city balancing its industrial heritage
with tourism, education, and sustainability.
Industrial and
Educational Hub: The Montanuniversität Leoben remains a global leader in
mining, metallurgy, and materials science, with 3,600 students and
research in green technologies. Voestalpine’s Donawitz plant produces
high-quality steel, employing thousands. The 2005 opening of the Asia
Spa Leoben, a wellness complex, diversified the economy, drawing 500,000
visitors annually.
Cultural and Sporting Events: The Gösser Kirtag, a
traditional beer festival, and the Leoben Advent Market attract crowds.
The 2013 UCI Road World Championships highlighted Leoben’s sporting
infrastructure, while the Mur River’s cycle paths and nearby ski resorts
like Präbichl bolster tourism.
Urban Development: The 2000s saw
revitalization of the Hauptplatz, with frescoed buildings and the
Hackenschmiede museum. The 2020–2021 COVID-19 pandemic prompted
community resilience, with local businesses adapting via digital
platforms. Leoben’s 2023 designation as the venue for the Styrian State
Exhibition on “Energy” underscores its focus on sustainability.
Challenges: Declining steel demand and competition challenge
voestalpine, while the Montanuniversität faces funding pressures.
Leoben’s aging population (24.1% over 65 in 2023) prompts initiatives
for youth retention.
Leoben’s history reflects Styria’s industrial and cultural evolution. The 1797 Peace of Leoben marks its global historical importance, while the Montanuniversität symbolizes its intellectual legacy. The city’s medieval core, with landmarks like St. Jakob, St. Xaver, and the Maßhaus, preserves its heritage, complemented by modern attractions like Asia Spa. Leoben’s role in Noricum’s iron trade, its Reformation-era Protestantism, and its resilience through wars and economic shifts highlight its adaptability. The Gösser brewery and cultural events like the Kirtag maintain Styrian traditions, while the university’s green tech research positions Leoben for the future.