Steinfeld is a market town with 2039 inhabitants (as of January
1, 2020) in the Spittal an der Drau district in Carinthia. The
parish church in Radlach and the name of today's main town were
first mentioned in the ducal deed in 1267/68. This register of
properties also shows the relatively low agricultural usability of
today's municipal area. Steinfeld was also at a disadvantage
compared to the neighboring traffic hubs Greifenburg and Sachsenburg
in terms of traffic and thus trade.
From the 15th century
onwards, the mining industry - initially the mining of washed gold
and precious metals, and later also iron processing - was decisive
for the economic development of Steinfeld. From the late Middle Ages
onwards, mining led to the settlement of trades whose buildings
still determine the appearance of the market today (Singerhof,
Neustein Castle, the Porcia family's caretaker's house on
Hauptstrasse). However, mining activity suffered setbacks as early
as 1600. As a result, the place lost its market infrastructure over
the centuries and sank again into a village. At the time of the
First World War, mining finally stopped completely.
In 1924
the Steinfeld am Grabach power plant was built by a cooperative from
Steinfeld and four other communities. This was destroyed by a
landslide in 1935, but the successor building built in 1936 is still
in operation today.
The construction of the railway
(Drautalbahn) from the late 19th century and the associated
settlement of woodworking companies brought the community back to
life, which culminated in the AVE furniture factory, which existed
from 1932 to 1986 and employed up to 270 people. In the course of
the 20th century, summer tourism and gastronomy also developed into
important economic sectors in the municipality.
The present
parish was formed in 1850. Apart from the assignment of smaller
parts of the area to Greifenburg in 1973, its expansion has not
changed since then. Steinfeld was granted fair privileges as early
as 1680, and an official survey as a market town took place in 1930.
The parish church in Radlach and the name of today's main town
were first mentioned in the ducal deed in 1267/68. This property
register also shows the relatively low agricultural usability of
today's municipal area. Steinfeld was also at a disadvantage
compared to the neighboring traffic hubs Greifenburg and Sachsenburg
in terms of traffic and thus trade.
For the economic
development of Steinfeld from the 15th century the mining industry -
initially the mining of washed gold and precious metals, later also
iron processing - was decisive. From the late Middle Ages onwards,
mining led to the settlement of trades whose buildings still
determine the appearance of the market today (Singerhof, Neustein
Castle, the Porcia family's caretaker's house on Hauptstrasse).
However, mining activities suffered setbacks as early as 1600. As a
result, the place lost its market infrastructure over the centuries
and sank again into a village. At the time of the First World War,
mining finally stopped completely.
In 1924 the Steinfeld am
Grabach power plant was built by a cooperative from Steinfeld and
four other communities. This was destroyed by a landslide in 1935,
but the successor building built in 1936 is still in operation
today.
The construction of the railroad (Drautalbahn) from
the late 19th century and the associated settlement of wood
processing companies brought the community back to life, which
culminated in the AVE furniture factory, which existed from 1932 to
1986 and employed up to 270 people. In the course of the 20th
century, summer tourism and gastronomy also developed into important
economic sectors in the municipality.
The present parish was
formed in 1850. Apart from the assignment of smaller parts of the
area to Greifenburg in 1973, its expansion has not changed since
then. Steinfeld was granted fairground privileges as early as 1680,
and an official survey of the market community took place in 1930.
Gerlamoos church with frescoes by Thomas von Villach
Parish
Church of Saint John the Baptist in Steinfeld
Filial church of
Saint Martin in Radlach
Gerlamooser gorge with waterfall
Renaissance Neustein Castle
Rottenstein castle ruins
Raggnitz Castle
Raggnitz Castle is a building first mentioned in documents in
1254 in the municipality of Steinfeld in Carinthia. The castle
complex with the associated farm buildings is located about 500
meters southwest of the village of Lind on the valley floor of the
upper Drautal. Politically, it belongs to the Steinfeld community.
History
Raggnitz was first mentioned in documents in 1254,
when the archbishop of Salzburg, Philipp von Spanheim, assigned his
archer Heinrich, known as Swaeroubte, a court with the associated
land in Racknitz. These lands were part of the possessions that
Count Albert III had acquired two years earlier. of Tyrol had to be
ceded to Duke Bernhard of Carinthia and his son, Elekt Philipp. But
as early as 1304, Raggnitz and Lind were added to the County of
Gorizia. In 1429 Siegmund von Lind was enfeoffed with the rule of
Lind (and with it the lands of Raggnitz). After the castles of Ober-
and Unterlind had fallen into disrepair, the Lords of Lind chose the
more conveniently located Hof von Raggnitz as their new seat, which
they had expanded like a castle. Around 1789 the castle was sold to
Paul Matthias von Tschabuschnigg, who made major changes to the
complex. The chapel, for example, was built by him. After several
changes of ownership, the building finally came into the possession
of the current owners, the Wernisch family, in 1872.
Architecture
Raggnitz Castle is a two-storey building with an
attic storey in the middle. Part of the complex is a wall that
encompasses the area and is reinforced by a tower in the
north-western part. The building got its current appearance towards
the end of the 18th century when it was rebuilt using older parts
from the 15th century.
The building, which was erected on an
almost square floor plan, has two protruding corner projections on
the northeast side, each covered by a tent roof and a small lantern
sitting on it. The eight-axis facade is horizontally banded on the
ground floor, but on the upper floor it is structured by delicate
pilasters with Ionic plaited capitals. The stucco framing of the
windows with their early Classicist roofs are pulled up to the
cornice. The stone-framed round arch portal on the front side dates
from the end of the 18th century.
The central ground floor
corridor is barrel vaulted, in the second, north-facing corridor
there is a lancet barrel vault with a stucco burr network - both
date from the 16th century. The hall on the upper floor has a flat
ceiling and a rococo oven. At the south-western end of the hall is a
chapel with an inscription plaque with the year 1795 above the
entrance door. Another plaque was put up on the occasion of the
permission given in 1797 to celebrate masses here. The chapel is
decorated with illusionistic wall paintings, which depict scenes
from the Old Testament in rich classical architecture. The early
classical altar shows a representation of Mary in the altarpiece.