Page 9 - Lienz Treasure Chest

Palm trees have adorned the centre of Lienz for decades. The memorial to Emperor Joseph II
once stood on the Hauptplatz (main square), but now it stands on Europaplatz (Europe Square)
behind the Liebburg.
A cultural-historical tour of the town
by Dr. Meinrad Pizzinini

Hauptplatz. The regional counts, western wing, now called “Fron-
who only later called themselves “of feste” (roughly “Lord’s Fortress”),
Gorizia”, cleared the valley between the chapel was located. After the
the Isel and Drava rivers and, near fire of 1609, when the Liebburg
the end of the 12th century, built a was rebuilt, the characteristic two
knightly settlement. Its size corre- towers with onion domes were ad-
sponds roughly to the present-day ded. House Wolkenstein first used
Hauptplatz (Main Square). The the Liebburg as a residence, later
elongated triangle becomes nar- it became the administrative centre
rower towards the east. The west of the territory of Lienz and from
of the settlement was particularly the 19th century onwards it was
endangered, so the entrance, the the seat of various authorities. It
so-called “Mittertor”, offered only was bought by the town of Lienz in
a narrow path. The small knightly 1980. The architect Dieter Tuscher
settlement with approx. 30 houses successfully converted it into a
kept its inhabitants safe and pro- town hall. For this exemplary revi-
tected. Weekly markets and likely talisation, Lienz received the pres-
also knights’ tournaments were tigious EUROPA NOSTRA award
organised regularly. The first official in 1991. The Europaplatz (Europe
mention of the settlement as a “civi- Square) can be reached through
tas” (city) was in 1242. This square, the small former town gate. Here,
formerly known as the “Lower one can see the foundations of an
Town Square”, has been the repre- early 17th century round tower that
sentative centre of Lienz ever since. protected the town entrance.

1 Liebburg, Hauptplatz 7 – The 2 The square is now adorned with
barons of Wolkenstein-Rodenegg, a memorial to Emperor Joseph II,
rulers of Lienz, built the Liebburg made in 1906 by an artisanal foun-
between 1605 and 1608. In the dry in Moravia.

— 12 — — 13 —