History Mödling

richsa Česká fresco ca. 1252



a sundial on old building on freiheitsplatz (freedom square). sundial year 1503, indicated painting.

the settlement dates neolithic era. through centuries, name of town evolved medilihha medelikch, medling and, finally, mödling. these names traces old slavic meaning running water . today there quaint old town pedestrian area. town residence of branch of babenberger family, result of received nickname babenbergerstadt ( town of babenbergers ).

traces of first settlements of hallstatt culture neolithic era found on kalenderberg. roman coins , roman burial site have been found near today s railway station.

after charlemagne s victory in 803 ad against avars, area around mödling settled settlers bavaria. 500 avar graves found in area of goldenen stiege (very close today s old city).

the first ancient document mentioning medilihha ultra montem commigenium dated 8 september 903, when 2 bishops (of roman catholic church) exchanged lands. however, in 907 settlement seems have been destroyed again. after battle on lechfeld settlement in area of today s mödling started again.

after this, time mödling housed relative of ruling house of babenberg. hence castle s ruin. in 1177, henry elder, son of henry ii jasomirgott, became landlord in area reaching liesing piesting , bruck der leitha. can read in old documents kept in nearby monastery of heiligenkreuz. in henry s days arts , culture dominated in castle of mödling; famous minnesinger walther von der vogelweide stayed there more once. spitalkirche , today s st. othmar built in 15th century, karner (charnel house) in 12th.

even in these times, mödling grew grapes; after langenlois, largest grape-growing community in lower austria.

duke albrecht ii, in 1343 granted rights of market mödling.

in 1529, ottomans devastated mödling first time. in 1679, many citizens died of black death. when ottomans came again in 1683, citizens of mödling killed. second epidemic of black death brought death 22 inhabitants, hence survivors built monument of holy trinity (dreifaltigkeits- or pestsäule, freiheitsplatz).

in 19th century, ludwig van beethoven visited favorite pub, 3 ravens, in mödling.

arnold schönberg lived in mödling between 1918 , 1925, , invented twelve-tone technique of composition there.

on 18 november 1875, mödling designated city .

from 1883 1932, mödling starting point of mödling , hinterbrühl tram, austria s first electric railway , world s first long-lasting tram overhead lines. in 1938, after anschluss nazi germany, mödling incorporated newly formed 24th district of vienna. in 1954, became once again part of lower austria.