Wagrain (Pongau)

Wagrain is an Austrian commune, located in the district of St Johann im Pongau in the Land of Salzburg. The village belongs to the Espace Salzburg Amadé Sport World , one of the greatest skiables fields in Austria which joins together 28 stations of sport of hiver.
The origin of the name " Wagrain" go back to the year 1243: mentioned like “Wakrein”, it is resulting from the roots of the MittelhochDeutsch ( Means-High-German ) “wac” ( agitated water , river ) and “kidney” ( edge , pre , slope ). It is under the influence of the written language that the orthography of today was specified.

Geography

The communes bordering on Wagrain are St Johann im Pongau, the chief town (to 9 km), Kleinarl, Flachau and Altenmarkt. In addition the village is established in a East-West valley between two assembly lines, whose principal tops are Grießkareck, Hochgründeck and in the south Gabel, which is the highest mountain of the commune (2037 m). *

Wagrain consists of five hamlets: Wagrain, Hof, Hofmarkt, Schwaighof and Vorderkleinarl. In Schwaighof on the one hand the watershed between Salzach and Enns is and on the other hand the " Wagrainer Höhe ", not higher of the village (952 m). There exist two means of going in the common neighbors: by the road or through the mountains. With the last census (2001) Wagrain counted 3.127 inhabitants, in rise.

History

With the Moyen-âge there was a certain mining industry with the territory around. At the 15th century, there was a strong castle on a hill in the middle of Wagrain. The castle had belonged to the archbishop of Salzburg; it was destroyed shortly after. Unfortunately there does not exist almost any document which can attest some. The only proof nowadays is the hill with the remainders of the wall of the castle in Wagrain and a heap of myths on three secret underpasses which would have remained until our days. In addition also some remarkable historical buildings remain: more exactly a vault and a church. The Gothic parish church has additional buildings which go back to 1450 and of 1711. The high altar is of 1976 with an also Gothic Madonna. She is devoted to Saint Rupert. The subsidiary vault is devoted to the François Saint and was built in 1616. Another important date is the fire of the commune on March 19th, 1927. Almost all the heart of the village with the subsidiary vault was destroyed because of a cigarette thrown imprudently in the straw.

Cultural life

The religious organizations are numerous: one can quote the orchestra ( TMK Wagrain ), the historical gunners of peasants ( Historische Bauernschützen Wagrain ), a football club, a club of tennis, the youth of the countryside, the body of the firemen readily and the union of the comrades .

Every two years the commune organizes the " Blumencorso" (in French corso flowered ) which attracts an enormous crowd. It is about a procession of flowered tanks.

Three remarkable personalities are associated with Wagrain:

Joseph Mohr (1792-1848), which composed the text of the famous Christmas carol Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht ( Douce night, holy night ). It was teaching and vicar of the commune: its tomb is in Wagrain. The elementary school bears its name.
the Austrian writer Karl-Heinrich Waggerl (1897-1973) lived in Wagrain. Its name was given to the college ( Karl-Heinrich Waggerl Hauptschule ). Its old residence is today a museum and it is also buried in Wagrain.
the founder of the company “Atomic”, Qualities Rohrmoser, (1939-2005) lived the major part of its life with Wagrain.

External bonds

* * * * The orchestra of Wagrain

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