Linz

The city of Linz uniquely combines industry, history and culture. With a population of 200,839, it is the third largest city in Upper Austria. Located near the Czech border, on both banks of the Danube, Linz has a rich and varied past dating back to Roman times, when it was a border post. It was also the birthplace of Adolf Hitler; he planned to designate it as the “Führerstadt” of the Nazi government. Conversely, Linz survived the war and has since developed into a modern, dynamic city with an emphasis on media arts and innovation.

Many multinational organizations have designated Linz as a cultural center. In 2009, Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, was crowned European Capital of Culture. It has now been a city of media arts, a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network since 2014. Linz thus promotes creativity and social interaction by including media art in its urban environment. Among the many museums, galleries and events that Linz organizes to showcase the most recent developments in digital art (the Ars Electronica Center, the Lentos Art Museum and the annual Ars Electronica Festival), Linz also plans each month to September the astonishing open-air exhibition. Klangwolke, which features pyrotechnics, lighting and music.

The Linzer Torte, a delicious pastry with a lattice shell and a redcurrant jam filling, is well known in the city. With a recipe dating back to 1653, Linzer pie is considered the oldest cake in the world. Additionally serving a diverse range of dishes, from traditional Austrian cuisine to international specialties, Linz has 544 restaurants to suit all budgets and palates. Among guests from Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Switzerland in particular, the warmth and cuisine of Linz are very popular.

Due to its large and strong metallurgical and chemical sector, Linz is also sometimes referred to as a steel city. Since the 19th century, when Linz became a major industrial center, these companies have been the backbone of the city. Besides arms and munitions, Linz had two infamous synthetic oil and rubber industries, IG Farben and Hermann Göring Werke, during the Nazi era. Although the Allies bombed these factories mercilessly, Linz rebuilt and recovered after the war. Although it still primarily produces steel, chemicals and plastics, Linz has also broadened its economic focus towards biotechnology, engineering and education.

From opulent hotels to small guesthouses, Linz offers a range of accommodation choices to visitors. The hotel sector has a total of 4,545 beds; 2,302 are four-star companies, 1,226 are three-star companies, and 472 are two- and one-star companies. In addition to hostels, houses and campsites, there are an additional 544 beds in other types of accommodation. From 649,428 in 2004 to 775,399 in 2013, overnight stays in Linz have continued to increase. This shows how the city is increasingly attracting visitors.