I wanted to make a city that could fit into the real world, so I did! Enjoy this Wiki-style info about St. Kreszenz:
Sankt Kreszenz an der Flotz (aerial view)
Sankt Kreszenz an der Flotz (Saint Crescent on the Flotz) is a city with 117.025 inhabitants in Upper Austria named after the 4th century Roman Catholic saint and martyr Crescent, wet nurse to saint Vitus. It is an important regional economic, administrative and education center.
1) Geography
St. Kreszenz is located on the river Flotz at 352 meters above sea level. Its location makes it a natural trading post. The city area encompasses the following localities (administrative divisions, population in brackets):
Roman period
The Romans occupied the area around the year 15, whereupon it was added to the Roman province of Noricum. Little to nothing is known about the previous inhabitants, who most likely were Celts. There are some archaeological findings regarding agricultural activity from the Roman period, but no inscriptions or temples that would be indicative of an important settlement. The area was completely abandoned during the Migration Period due to economic collapse and raiding.
Medieval period
Upper Austria was settled in the 6th and 7th centuries by Bavarian tribes. Traders used to ford the Flotz river, and a public resting place developed over time. A chapel dedicated to was built to accommodate the travelers' spiritual needs. The first written mention of St. Kreszenz can be found in an official document from 806 or 807 (Sacellum et Silva in Terris apud fluvius Flocc, quod dicitur Sancta Crescentia), donating the chapel and adjacent woods to the Church for the purpose of establishing a monastery. This historic document is exhibited in the town hall every second Friday from 11:00-16:00. The monastery engaged in beekeeping, vegetable gardening and land clearance, quickly becoming the nucleus of a larger settlement – today's city. The village received market rights around 1020, allowing it to organize a yearly fair.
In the 12th century, the Babenberg dynasty ruled the Duchy of Austria, but their hold on the country was still shaky. They established many new noble families as vassals, to counterbalance the existing and power-hungry aristocracy. Helmwig von Kaltenbach was granted lands along the river across from St. Kreszenz, where he built his castle, Flotzenstein in 1173. The next few centuries were dominated by the territorial, financial and political rivalry between the von Kaltenbach family and the Church.
Renaissance period
The general population found Protestantism very attractive and quickly converted, leading to social conflict. A letter from 1581 says a large majority in St. Kreszenz was Lutheran, but the nobility remained staunchly Catholic. In 1626, the peasants rose up against forced conversion to Catholicism, leading to the Upper Austrian Peasant War. Government forces prevailed, and many Protestants fled to Northern Germany or were massacred. Population levels did not recover until the 18th century. In 1749, Graf Leopold von Kaltenbach died suddenly without an heir, so the Lordship of Flotzenstein went to a distant relative by marriage, Matthias von Wurmbrand-Stuppach (of the Lower Austrian Wurmbrand-Stuppachs), forming a new cadet branch thereafter referred to as the von Wurmbrand-Flotzenstein family.
Modern period
In the 1850s, construction on the k.k. Kaiserin Elisabeth Westbahn started, connecting Vienna by rail with Upper Austria and Bavaria beyond. The then-current Lord of Flotzenstein, Graf Degenhard von Wurmbrand-Flotzenstein, an educated man and military officer, recognized the value of railroads and lobbied successfully to have it pass through his domains. He also invested in industry, founding the Wurmbrand-Eisenwarenwerke zu St. Kreszenz metalworks company. Many landless peasants, recently emancipated by the repeal of serfdom, took the economic opportunity and joined the workforce. The city grew rapidly, and slums developed. Complaints from the Burghers and the Clergy led to the construction of company housing, today's Hinterlaa and Neudorf localities.
After the Nazi takeover in 1938, they renamed the city 'Greater St. Kreszenz' and annexed many of the surrounding villages into the city area, including Flotzenstein and Schlatzing. Despite this, many localities still retain their original identity and rural character until today. During World War 2, the Nazi government seized the factory, converting it to a munitions plant. Along with the rail hub, it was then bombed in the 1944/45 winter by US Air Force planes operating out of Italy. The war damage was repaired under the Marshall Plan.
3) Traffic
St. Kreszenz is connected to Vienna, Linz and Salzburg through high-speed rail and highway. Regional lines run hourly to Vöcklabruck, Wels and Attnang-Puchheim. Three local rail lines serve the area:
S1: Zitzdorf – Hinterlaa – Josefsheim/Radetzkyplatz – St. Kreszenz/Wurmbrand-Werke – St. Kreszenz HBf
S15: St. Kreszenz HBf – Neudorf bei Breitenfeld – Breitenfeld – Niederflotzenstein – Flotzenstein Markt
S70: Unter St. Kreszenz – St. Kreszenz/Linzer Straße – St. Kreszenz HBf – St. Kreszenz/Gewerbegebiet Nord – Vordernberg – Schlatzing – Schlatzing Messegelände
Public transport also includes Tram and Bus lines.
4) Culture and Attractions
Flotzenstein Castle is from the 12th century, but it has many later additions, including a Baroque palace and garden.
St. Kreszenz Monastery is one of the oldest monasteries in Austria. It has been called a masterpiece of Gothic church architecture. Its extensive collection of medieval codices can be viewed by guests.
The Tiergarten Josefsheim zoo was originally the private hunting grounds of the von Kaltenbach family. Graf Degenhard von Wurmbrand-Flotzenstein had it converted into his menagerie, and it was nationalized and opened to the public after the end of the Monarchy.
The annual and internationally renowned Metal Goods Trade Fair attracts many visitors from all over Europe.
5) Education
The presence of industry has necessitated an education system to produce skilled workers. Accordingly, St. Kreszenz Engineering University is ranked highly for its practical placement program. The Medievalist Historian faculty is also well-regarded in the academic community. There are also fourteen primary schools (one Montessori and one special needs) and seven secondary schools, including vocational schools.
Let me know if there are any more aspects of my city you would like to know about, and I will add them!
Sankt Kreszenz an der Flotz (aerial view)
Sankt Kreszenz an der Flotz (Saint Crescent on the Flotz) is a city with 117.025 inhabitants in Upper Austria named after the 4th century Roman Catholic saint and martyr Crescent, wet nurse to saint Vitus. It is an important regional economic, administrative and education center.
1) Geography
St. Kreszenz is located on the river Flotz at 352 meters above sea level. Its location makes it a natural trading post. The city area encompasses the following localities (administrative divisions, population in brackets):
- Breitenfeld (1446)
- Bruck an der Flotz (4540)
- Flotzenstein-Markt (7015)
- Grünstetten (2657)
- Hinterlaa-Hermannskogel (8388)
- Hirschau (743)
- Josefsheim (3612)
- Kaltenbach (3552)
- Kirchberg (1864)
- Neudorf bei Breitenfeld (5045)
- Niederflotzenstein (1929)
- Oberflotzenstein (6233)
- Sankt Kreszenz (11609)
- Schlatzing (15382)
- Sechshaus (7720)
- Sigwulfsherberg (6865)
- Unter Sankt Kreszenz (13476)
- Vordernberg (7136)
- Zitzdorf (2403)
- Zitzdorf-Kierling (2751)
Roman period
The Romans occupied the area around the year 15, whereupon it was added to the Roman province of Noricum. Little to nothing is known about the previous inhabitants, who most likely were Celts. There are some archaeological findings regarding agricultural activity from the Roman period, but no inscriptions or temples that would be indicative of an important settlement. The area was completely abandoned during the Migration Period due to economic collapse and raiding.
Medieval period
Upper Austria was settled in the 6th and 7th centuries by Bavarian tribes. Traders used to ford the Flotz river, and a public resting place developed over time. A chapel dedicated to was built to accommodate the travelers' spiritual needs. The first written mention of St. Kreszenz can be found in an official document from 806 or 807 (Sacellum et Silva in Terris apud fluvius Flocc, quod dicitur Sancta Crescentia), donating the chapel and adjacent woods to the Church for the purpose of establishing a monastery. This historic document is exhibited in the town hall every second Friday from 11:00-16:00. The monastery engaged in beekeeping, vegetable gardening and land clearance, quickly becoming the nucleus of a larger settlement – today's city. The village received market rights around 1020, allowing it to organize a yearly fair.
In the 12th century, the Babenberg dynasty ruled the Duchy of Austria, but their hold on the country was still shaky. They established many new noble families as vassals, to counterbalance the existing and power-hungry aristocracy. Helmwig von Kaltenbach was granted lands along the river across from St. Kreszenz, where he built his castle, Flotzenstein in 1173. The next few centuries were dominated by the territorial, financial and political rivalry between the von Kaltenbach family and the Church.
Renaissance period
The general population found Protestantism very attractive and quickly converted, leading to social conflict. A letter from 1581 says a large majority in St. Kreszenz was Lutheran, but the nobility remained staunchly Catholic. In 1626, the peasants rose up against forced conversion to Catholicism, leading to the Upper Austrian Peasant War. Government forces prevailed, and many Protestants fled to Northern Germany or were massacred. Population levels did not recover until the 18th century. In 1749, Graf Leopold von Kaltenbach died suddenly without an heir, so the Lordship of Flotzenstein went to a distant relative by marriage, Matthias von Wurmbrand-Stuppach (of the Lower Austrian Wurmbrand-Stuppachs), forming a new cadet branch thereafter referred to as the von Wurmbrand-Flotzenstein family.
Modern period
In the 1850s, construction on the k.k. Kaiserin Elisabeth Westbahn started, connecting Vienna by rail with Upper Austria and Bavaria beyond. The then-current Lord of Flotzenstein, Graf Degenhard von Wurmbrand-Flotzenstein, an educated man and military officer, recognized the value of railroads and lobbied successfully to have it pass through his domains. He also invested in industry, founding the Wurmbrand-Eisenwarenwerke zu St. Kreszenz metalworks company. Many landless peasants, recently emancipated by the repeal of serfdom, took the economic opportunity and joined the workforce. The city grew rapidly, and slums developed. Complaints from the Burghers and the Clergy led to the construction of company housing, today's Hinterlaa and Neudorf localities.
After the Nazi takeover in 1938, they renamed the city 'Greater St. Kreszenz' and annexed many of the surrounding villages into the city area, including Flotzenstein and Schlatzing. Despite this, many localities still retain their original identity and rural character until today. During World War 2, the Nazi government seized the factory, converting it to a munitions plant. Along with the rail hub, it was then bombed in the 1944/45 winter by US Air Force planes operating out of Italy. The war damage was repaired under the Marshall Plan.
3) Traffic
St. Kreszenz is connected to Vienna, Linz and Salzburg through high-speed rail and highway. Regional lines run hourly to Vöcklabruck, Wels and Attnang-Puchheim. Three local rail lines serve the area:
S1: Zitzdorf – Hinterlaa – Josefsheim/Radetzkyplatz – St. Kreszenz/Wurmbrand-Werke – St. Kreszenz HBf
S15: St. Kreszenz HBf – Neudorf bei Breitenfeld – Breitenfeld – Niederflotzenstein – Flotzenstein Markt
S70: Unter St. Kreszenz – St. Kreszenz/Linzer Straße – St. Kreszenz HBf – St. Kreszenz/Gewerbegebiet Nord – Vordernberg – Schlatzing – Schlatzing Messegelände
Public transport also includes Tram and Bus lines.
4) Culture and Attractions
Flotzenstein Castle is from the 12th century, but it has many later additions, including a Baroque palace and garden.
St. Kreszenz Monastery is one of the oldest monasteries in Austria. It has been called a masterpiece of Gothic church architecture. Its extensive collection of medieval codices can be viewed by guests.
The Tiergarten Josefsheim zoo was originally the private hunting grounds of the von Kaltenbach family. Graf Degenhard von Wurmbrand-Flotzenstein had it converted into his menagerie, and it was nationalized and opened to the public after the end of the Monarchy.
The annual and internationally renowned Metal Goods Trade Fair attracts many visitors from all over Europe.
5) Education
The presence of industry has necessitated an education system to produce skilled workers. Accordingly, St. Kreszenz Engineering University is ranked highly for its practical placement program. The Medievalist Historian faculty is also well-regarded in the academic community. There are also fourteen primary schools (one Montessori and one special needs) and seven secondary schools, including vocational schools.
Let me know if there are any more aspects of my city you would like to know about, and I will add them!
