Güssing

Coordinates: 47°4′N 16°19′E / 47.067°N 16.317°E / 47.067; 16.317
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Güssing
Güssing Castle
Güssing Castle
Postal code
7540
Websitewww.guessing.co.at

Güssing (German pronunciation:

Güssing district. For centuries the town occupied an important position on the western edge of the Kingdom of Hungary. The town is now most famous for its castle
, which is the oldest in Burgenland and a prominent regional landmark, built on an extinct volcano.

Parish and cemetery church

History

Overview

The origins of Güssing date back to 1157, with the construction of the castle alongside a small settlement nearby. By 1355, Güssing had been granted special rights by Louis IV.[2] During the Middle Ages, religion, art and crafts were of great importance. As a border town, Güssing was fortified in order to repel attacks from what is now Hungary. Despite the threat of invasion Güssing prospered, with residents of the town at the time including the Artois botanist Carolus Clusius, and Johann Manlius, a typographer.[3] There is an homage to Clusius in the town, as well as a street named after him, the Clusiusweg.

In the 16th century, Güssing was a free imperial city with full municipal laws. In 1619, the town was surrounded with an enceinte, a type of town wall. The town at the time contained four quarters- Vorstadt, untere Stadt by the mansion of the Drašković family, innere Stadt from the monastery to the town hall and Hochstadt.

The lords of Güssing (in Hungarian: Kőszeg, in Slovak: Kysak) were a noble family in the frontier region of Austria and the Kingdom of Hungary. Note that Kőszeg is the name of a nearby Hungarian town (known as Güns in German) to which that family moved its residence from Güssing in 1274. In 1522, it became the residence of the Batthyány family, one of the most distinguished magnate families in Hungary. The family still Batthyány own the ancestral seat of Güssing Castle. In 1540, Franz Batthyány gained the magnate from Ferdinand I, the incumbent king of Hungary, Croatia and Bohemia, which allowed him to open up ore mines, whilst in 1549, he was granted the right to hold markets in the town by the emperor. A market still takes place on the first Monday of every month in the town.

The area, like the rest of what is now Burgenland, belonged to

First World War, the town, as part of German West Hungary (Deutsch Westungarn), was ceded to Austria after tough negotiations in the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye and the Treaty of Trianon
in 1919. The area has been part of the newly formed state of Burgenland since 1921. In 1973 the area was officially declared a town.

In the 20th century, Güssing struggled economically due to its proximity to the Hungarian border, and with it the Iron Curtain during the Cold War. Many residents moved elsewhere or commuted for long distances to find work.[4]

Geography

The town is situated in the south of Burgenland, close to the Hungarian border, in the valley of the river Strem at a height of 229 metres above sea level.[5] Just under half of the area is agricultural land, whilst nearly 40% is forested. The town is neighboured by Tobaj to the north, Strem to the east, Heiligenbrunn to the southeast, Kleinmürbisch and Großmürbisch to the south, Neustift bei Güssing to the southwest and Gerersdorf-Sulz to the northwest. The Güssing fish ponds are a designated Ramsar site within the town, known for its bird populations of little bittern, grey heron and great crested grebe.[6]

Renewable energy

The town is also known for its renewable energy projects. During the 1980s, Peter Vadasz, a local councillor, and Reinhard Koch, a technical engineer, created an energy transition strategy for the town by using local wood as an energy source.

self-sufficiency in the district, yet this is disputed by others, who claim that transportation of goods and fuel still relies upon fossil fuels.[4]
Energy in Güssing is heavily reliant on wood, which has led to concerns about energy security.

International Relations

Güssing is twinned with:

  • Güssing Castle
    Güssing Castle
  • An homage to Carolus Clusius, a resident of the town
    An homage to Carolus Clusius, a resident of the town
  • Wood gasifier (commercial operation)
    Wood gasifier (commercial operation)
  • Fischer-Tropsch diesel production from gasified wood (Pilot)
    Fischer-Tropsch diesel production from gasified wood (Pilot)
  • Biogas plant Strem
    Biogas plant Strem
  • Biogas fuelled engine Biogas plant Strem
    Biogas fuelled engine Biogas plant Strem

Neighbourhoods

The neighbourhoods that make up the town area include (with the population as of January 2021 in brackets):

  • Glasing (123) with the Glasing mountains
  • Güssing (Kernstadt) (2725) with Langzeil, Ludwigshof and Rosenberg
  • Krottendorf (212)
  • Sankt Nikolaus (193)
  • Steingraben (182)
  • Urbersdorf (230)

Culture

Regular events

Sport

The town has a football club, SV Güssing, which play in the Landesliga Burgenland, the fourth division of Austrian football. The town is home to a basketball club, UBC Güssing Knights.

Notable people

See also: Category:People from Güssing and Category:People from Güssing District

See also

References

  1. ^ "Dauersiedlungsraum der Gemeinden Politischen Bezirke und Bundesländer - Gebietsstand 1.1.2018". Statistics Austria. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  2. ^ "Güssing Eine Stadt Stellt Sich Vor" (PDF). Guessing.co.at. 1997. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
  3. ^ "Güssing Eine Stadt Stellt Sich Vor" (PDF). Guessing.co.at. 1997. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
  4. ^
    doi:10.3390/su6074386
    .
  5. ^ "Güssing in Zahlen". Güssing.at. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  6. ^ Holler, Christian. "Ramsar-Gebiet Güssinger Fischteiche Management Plan Dezember 14" (PDF). Naturschutz Burgenland (in German). Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  7. ^ "Gerhard Oberkofler: Samuel Steinherz (1857-1942)". Archived from the original on 2009-07-22. Retrieved 2009-08-13., Steinberg: [1], "DotRoll Domain Regisztráció". Archived from the original on 2011-07-20. Retrieved 2009-08-13.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Güssing.
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