Hannes Dolleschall

Judenburg boasts a history spanning hundreds of years. Archaeological findings indicate that some of the first settlers in the region are from the early days of the Celtic kingdom of Noricum.

The city was first mentioned in documents dating back to 1074, in which it was designated as a market town - mercatum Judinburch. The role that the Jewish community played in the town’s early development can not be understated – exemplified by their representation in its coat of arms and its very name literally meaning “Jews’ Borough”.

The region around the town is rich in iron which made Judenburg an important trade and commercial centre of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

The town covers a total area of 63.69 sq.km. and is the home to nearly 10,000 persons, according to the 2018 census. Judenburg is the administrative centre of the Murtal district, created following the merger of the Judenburg and Knittelfeld districts. In 2015, the municipalities of Oberweg and Reifling were also merged with Judenburg.

While Judenburg has been sharing the struggles of other industrial cities in Europe, including the migration of young people and depopulation it has been making strides in transforming its industrial and economic capacity into an environmentally friendly model, thereby attracting new companies and investments.

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TOURISM

Judenburg boasts a very well preserved historic old town – dating back to the city’s glory days. Within it one can find the landmark of Judenburg – a 76-meter-tall City Tower, offering a panoramic view of the entire urban area. In the past, it has served as a watchtower looking out for fires, and it currently hosts one of Europe’s most modern planetariums.