Gaal

This article deals with the place Gaal in Styria. For more meanings, see Gaal (disambiguation) .

Gaal
coat of arms	Austria map
Basic data
Country:	Austria
State :	Styria
Political District :	Murtal
License plate :	MT (from July 1st, 2012; old: KF)
Surface:	197.47 km²
Coordinates :	47 ° 16 '  N , 14 ° 40'  E Coordinates: 47 ° 16 '23 "  N , 14 ° 40' 12"  E
Height :	900  m above sea level A.
Residents :	1,351 (January 1, 2020)
Postal code :	8731
Area code :	03513
Community code :	6 20 08
Address of the municipal administration:	Bischoffeld 25 8731 Gaal
Website:	www.gaal.gv.at
politics
Mayor :	Friedrich Fledl ( ÖVP )
Municipal Council : ( 2020 ) (15 members)	11 4th 11 4th  A total of 15 seats ÖVP : 11 SPÖ : 4
Location of Gaal in the Murtal district
Source: Municipal data from Statistics Austria

Gaal is a municipality with 1,351 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2020) in the Murtal district and the judicial district of Judenburg in Styria .

geography

Geographical location

View of the village of Gaal from the southeast

Southwest view of the town of Bischoffeld

Ingering II from the south

Gaal is located around 14 km northwest of Knittelfeld . The community is located in the Niedere Tauern . The municipality, called the Gaal , includes the Pletzen mountain range , the two surrounding valleys of the Gaalbach and Ingeringbach, as well as the southern slopes of the Seckau Alps . The highest elevations are the 2417  m high Geierhaupt , the 2416  m high Hochreichhart , the 2397  m high Seckauer Zinken (all Seckau Alps) and the 2345  m high Pletzen. The lowest point is around 750  m , where the Ingeringbach leaves the community in the southeast.

Altitude

• Bischoffeld: 855 m
• Ingering: 865 m
• Gaaldorf: 900 m
• Vulture head: 2,417 m

Community structure

The community consists of four cadastral communities (area as of December 31, 2019):

• Gaal (7,381.24 hectares)
• Graden (1,750.73 ha)
• Ingering II (6,937.01 ha)
• Puchschachen (3,661.89 ha)

The community is divided into seven localities (residents as of January 1, 2020):

• Bischoffeld (301)
• Gaal (128)
• Gaalgraben (111)
• Grades (266)
• Ingering II (247)
• Puchschachen (152)
• Schattenberg (146)

Neighboring communities

Two of the nine neighboring communities are in the Leoben district  (LN).

Hohentauern , Wald am Schoberpass (LN)	Mautern in Styria (LN)	Sankt Marein-Feistritz
Pölstal		Seckau
Pöls-Oberkurzheim	Fohnsdorf	Spielberg

history

Around 760 a church was founded in Ingering by Bishop Modestus ( ecclesia ad undrimas ). In 860 the emperor gave the Salzburg archbishop a property on the Ingering, today's village of Bischoffeld.

Between the 6th and 8th centuries, Slavic farmers from Aichfeld penetrated far into Ingeringgraben and Gaal. It can no longer be determined whether they only walked this area or also settled there, but they have left a name. In an important document from 1174, the forest "Trigowle" is mentioned, which later contains the name Gaal. This is derived from the Old Slavic word "triglavja", and it means an area that leads to a mountain "Triglav" (the highest mountain in Slovenia has this name). The appearance of the mountain is pointed out: “Triglav” can be translated as “three head” or “triple”.

Later the written evidence varies: from Geul to Geil and Gall to Gaal. It was only through the medieval rhyme chronicler Otacher from the Geul that our current place name became known beyond the borders of our parish. Otacher is the author of the "Styrian Rhyme Chronicle". The name Gaal ( trigewl ) was first used in a document for the Seckau Abbey in 1171 . To equip the diocese of Seckau, which was founded in 1218, 30 forest hatches were also used in Gaal. In 1273, Wasserberg Castle came from Salzburg to the Seckau diocese. Ottokar († 1322), the author of the Styrian rhyming chronicle , which tells the story of the empire from 1246 to 1309 in 100,000 verses , also came from the Gaaler ministerial family residing in this castle . A pastor was first mentioned for Gaal in 1317, and a year later the Church of St. Peter was also mentioned.

In 1480 the church in Gaal was devastated by the Turks. From 1514 to 1518 there was brief silver mining on the Hochreichart.

In 1770 house numbers and advertising districts were introduced, in connection with which the cadastral communities that still exist today were created .

In 1820 the church and most of the village were destroyed in a fire. In 1844, the rule and Schloss Wasserberg came to Maximilian Seßler, who had the castle redesigned in its current form.

After the abolition of the manors in 1848, the political community of Gaal was established in 1849/50.

Population development

According to the 2001 census, the community had 1,502 inhabitants, 97.7% of the population had Austrian citizenship. 93.9% of the population committed to the Roman Catholic Church, 1.5% to the Protestant Church, and 2.9% were without religious belief.

Population figures on December 31, 2016:

• People with main residence: 1,388
• People with secondary residence: 112
• Households: 520
• Residential building: 455

Culture and sights

Ingeringsee

Ingeringsee in winter

Wasserberg Castle

Maria Loretto Chapel on the Sommertörl under the Rosenkogel

See also:  List of listed objects in Gaal

• Ingeringsee : a mountain lake with a chapel in the Ingeringtal. The name Ingering is more than 2000 years old and was given by the inhabitants in pre-Roman times. The name was first recorded in 860 as "Undrima". Research derives this name from an Indo-European root "you" ( water ). The Ingeringsee and the streams all around have inspired this naming.
• VW Beetle Museum: it deals with the vehicle of the same name . The current exhibition includes a yellow-black racer (built in 1972, 125 hp, only 3,500 units were built), a Salzburg beetle (built in 1970, 125 hp, rally Beetle), a "Hebmüller" VW Beetle Convertible (built in 1951, 24.5 HP, only 60 units left), a VW floating car (built in 1942–1945, 24.5 HP, amphibious vehicle with all-wheel drive), a VW Type 2 T1 bus (built in 1965, 44 HP , used as a fire brigade bus until 1997), and many more.
• Wasserberg Castle : Bishop Bernhard von Seckau had it built around 1260 and over the centuries it was involved in many political and warlike events. The castle chapel with its late Gothic frescoes (1492), the coat of arms stones (15th / 19th century), the bells (14th / 15th century) and the baroque chapel in front of the castle, the Johannes Nepomuk chapel, are noteworthy in terms of art history . Wasserberg Castle has been owned by the Heiligenkreuz Abbey since 1913 . Today the Wasserberg forest administration and apartments are housed in the castle.
• Catholic parish church Gaal hl. Petrus: the church was probably built by the Bishop of Salzburg or perhaps by the Seckauer Stiftspropst around 1200. This is supported by the parish's Romanesque origins. After the fire in 1820, the church was expanded to include baroque exterior frescoes and a staircase. The frescoes date from 1757 and the stained glass windows were not used until after the Second World War in March 1951.
• Pirkach Chapel to St. Anna : in the chapel there is the exhibition “Signs of Faith and Crosses in the Gaal”. According to a traditional legend from the Middle Ages, confession was made in this chapel before the condemned were executed at Schloss Wasserberg. It was renovated in 2013.
• Maria Loretto Chapel : it is located at 1,850 meters above sea level and was built in 1935 by Handwerke Otto Zeilinger to replace an older chapel that burned down after a lightning strike in the First World War . The Loretto Chapel is a simple wooden structure on stone foundations.

• Nature and protected areas: The entire rear Ingering and parts of the Gaal are in a protected landscape area.

• Fauna: The main inhabitants of the Lower Tauern are red deer , marmots , chamois , golden eagles , foxes , adder , martens and other small predators. Ibex were successfully reintroduced into the Hinteren Gaal.

• Flora: Due to forestry, there are mainly spruce forests. Mixed forests exist in connection with the larch . Larger deciduous trees are limited to valley locations, but the gray alder rises on streams and water-drawn slopes far beyond the tree line. The Flop ( Legföhre ) covers large parts of the valleys. The occurrence of the sundew , a carnivorous plant, in the Pichlermoos is particularly remarkable . The Pichlermoos is a sour, oligotrophic mountain pine raised bog with low spruce vegetation and is endangered by drainage. Among the flowering plants, there are monkshood , yellow gentian , arnica and foxglove, as well as rarer plants from the central Alps such as the Turkish league and fire lily . Irises can be found in wet meadows in the lower areas .

Economy and Infrastructure

The economy in the Gaal consists mainly of agriculture, forestry and tourism.

There are 130 farms. Of these, 108 farms cultivate an area of ​​less than 115 hectares each, 16 farms an area of ​​less than 200 hectares and 6 farms each an area of ​​over 200 hectares.

traffic

• Road: The access to traffic is via the state roads Gaalerstraße L 515 and Seckauerstraße L 517.

tourism

• There are 225 guest beds. Half of these are holiday apartments, a quarter are private accommodation and rooms on farms (farm holidays) and a quarter are hotels and guest houses. In the Gaal there are many facilities for athletes and guests, such as ski lifts, a sports center with tennis, football and beach volleyball courts as well as a swimming pond and inns with Styrian specialties. In summer, the high elevations of the Gaal are a destination for hikers, climbers and mountaineers, while skiers, cross-country skiers and ski tourers come to the Gaal in winter.

• Two Austrian long-distance hiking trails run through Gaal, the Central Alpine Trail and the Eisenwurzenweg, as well as the international Via Alpina .

• Together with Lobmingtal, Kobenz, Seckau, Spielberg, St. Marein-Feistritz and Zeltweg, the community forms the tourism association “Tourismus am Spielberg”. Its seat is in Spielberg.

education

In the community there is a primary school, a kindergarten, a doctor, a bank, a local supplier, a bakery, some service companies and restaurants.

politics

The municipal council has 15 members.

• With the municipal elections in 2000, the municipal council had the following distribution: 11 ÖVP, 3 SPÖ and 1 FPÖ.
• With the municipal council elections in Styria in 2005 , the municipal council had the following distribution: 10 ÖVP and 5 SPÖ.
• With the municipal council elections in Styria 2010 , the municipal council had the following distribution: 9 ÖVP and 6 SPÖ.
• With the municipal elections in Styria in 2015 , the municipal council had the following distribution: 9 ÖVP, 5 SPÖ and 1 FPÖ.
• With the municipal council elections in Styria 2020 , the municipal council has the following distribution: 11 ÖVP and 4 SPÖ.

mayor

• until 2009 Peter Gruber (ÖVP)
• 2009–2012 Harald Schlager (ÖVP)
• since 2012 Friedrich Fledl (ÖVP)

coat of arms

Blazon (coat of arms description):

"In a shield divided from blue to black by a water-colored wave bar, two square, tinned silver towers connected by a silver crenellated wall at the top, a golden slanting bar at the bottom."

The municipal coat of arms was awarded with effect from August 1, 1968. The upper field indicates the Wasserberg Castle, which is surrounded by the Ingeringbach, the historical core of the valley. The colors of the lower field are those of the Galler family , from whom the famous Styrian rhyming chronicler Otacher ouz der Gevl (around 1300) comes, and which still flourishes as a count's house today.

Partner communities

• Gyenesdiás , Hungary

Personalities

Honorary citizen

• 1872: Johann Alois Zeilinger, Trades
• 1912: Johann Musenbichler, mayor of Gaal 1890–1912
• 1916: Oskar Kordin, Chief Commissioner
• 1918: Johann Niemetz, veterinarian
• 1922: Markus Michl, head of the political branch in Knittelfeld
• 1967: Josef Krainer senior , governor
• 1975: Friedrich Niederl , governor
• 1983: Josef Schreibmaier, Mayor of Gaal (1960–1983)
• 1985: Josef Krainer junior , governor
• 1999: Gustav Hopf, Mayor of Gaal (1983–1999)

Sons and daughters of the church

• Rudolf Mitteregger (* 1944), racing cyclist
• Hermann Aust (* 1885, † 1955), Vice Mayor of Graz
• Bernd Jeschek (* 1949), actor
• Otto Kargl (* 1957), cathedral music director in St. Pölten
• Werner Vogel, cross-country skier

literature

• Meinhard Brunner, Walter Brunner , Odo Burböck, Franz Jäger: Gaal. History of the habitat and its inhabitants . Gaal 2000

Web links

Commons : Gaal  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• 62008 - Gaal. Community data, Statistics Austria .
• Web presence of the municipality of Gaal
• gaal.gv.at/geschichte.html History of the community of Gaal
• Homepage of the tourism association "Tourismus am Spielberg"

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Regionalinformation , bev.gv.at (1,094 kB); accessed on January 10, 2020.
2. ↑ Statistics Austria: Population on January 1st, 2020 by locality (area status on January 1st, 2020) , ( CSV )
3. ↑ General State Law and Government Gazette for the Crown Land of Styria, Issue 21, October 7, 1850, No. 378.
4. ^ Administration - Land Steiermark, Julia Kaspar: Landscape protection areas of Styria . In: www.verwaltung.steiermark.at . ( steiermark.at [accessed September 15, 2017]).
5. ↑ Characteristics. Retrieved September 15, 2017 . 
6. ↑ Moor protection number 57040301
7. ^ Administration - Land Steiermark, Julia Kaspar: NSG-c06 Pichlermoos in the Gaal . In: www.verwaltung.steiermark.at . ( steiermark.at [accessed September 15, 2017]).
8. ↑ Characteristics. Retrieved September 15, 2017 . 
9. ^ Municipal data and statistics. Retrieved September 15, 2017 . 
10. ^ Grazer Zeitung , Official Gazette for Styria, December 30, 2014, Volume 210, Issue 52, No. 325, ZDB -ID 1291268-2 p. 631.
11. ^ Result of the 2005 municipal council election in Gaal, Judenburg district. State of Styria, March 13, 2005, accessed on July 20, 2020 . 
12. ^ Election result of the municipal council election 2010 in Gaal, Judenburg district. State of Styria, March 21, 2010, accessed on July 20, 2020 . 
13. ^ Election results for the 2015 municipal council election in Gaal. State of Styria, March 22, 2015, accessed on July 20, 2020 . 
14. ↑ Results of the municipal council election 2020 in Gaal. State of Styria, June 28, 2020, accessed on July 20, 2020 . 
15. ↑ Kleine Zeitung: Surprising resignation. Kleine Zeitung , May 2, 2012, archived from the original on October 23, 2014 . Kleine Zeitung: Fledl is mayor. Kleine Zeitung , May 22, 2012, archived from the original on September 18, 2014 .   
16. ↑ Communications from the Styrian State Archives 18, 1968, p. 133.