Few Austrian towns show their history as clearly as Steyr. The castle stands where the first fortress stood, the Stadtplatz still follows its medieval line, and the factory buildings of the Wehrgraben recall the century when Werndl’s works were among the largest arms factories in the world.
Origins
- 980A deed records the Styraburg, the fortress that gave the town its name.
- 11th centuryThe castle is a residence of the Otakars.
- 1170Steyr is described as an urbs, a town.
The iron town
- 1287Duke Albrecht I grants the “Great Privilege”, giving Steyr staple rights for iron and wood. The town becomes a hub of the Eisenwurzen, the iron region of the eastern Alps.
- 1625Founding of the Innerberger Hauptgewerkschaft, the iron-trading company that bought the Innerberger Stadel in 1628.
- 1666The Lamberg family inherits Steyr and the castle.
- 1727A great fire; the castle and many houses on the Stadtplatz are rebuilt in the Baroque style.
- 1765–1778Construction of the Rococo town hall by Johann Gotthard Hayberger.
Josef Werndl and the Steyr works
- 1830Leopold Werndl founds his business.
- 1855His son Josef Werndl (1831–1889) takes over and builds one of the largest arms factories in the world, known for the Werndl breech-loading rifle.
- 1884Werndl organises an electricity exhibition and Steyr receives its first electric street lighting; Emperor Franz Joseph visits on 19 August.
- 1889The Steyrtalbahn narrow-gauge railway opens on 20 August.
- 1915–1934Car production begins in 1915; the company becomes Steyr-Werke AG in 1926 and merges with Austro-Daimler and Puch in 1934 to form Steyr-Daimler-Puch.
Recent times
- 1950The Christkindl Christmas post office opens.
- 1980Steyr celebrates its millennium after extensive restoration of the old town.
- 1987The Museum Arbeitswelt opens in the Wehrgraben.
Today Steyr is Austria’s twelfth-largest town, with about 38,000 inhabitants, and an industrial centre for vehicle and engine parts.
Sources: Wikipedia (de) · Wikipedia (en) · Austria-Forum (Werndl) · Wikipedia (Steyrtalbahn)