Hohenthurn

Hohenthurn (Slovene: Straja vas) is a municipality in the district of Villach-Land in the Austrian state of Carinthia.

Hohenthurn Straja vas
Municipality
St Cyriacus Church and Dobratsch massif
Coat of arms
Hohenthurn Location within Austria
Coordinates: 46°34′N 13°38′E
Country	Austria
State	Carinthia
District	Villach-Land
Government
• Mayor	Florian Tschinderle (ÖVP)
Area [1]
• Total	27.18 km2 (10.49 sq mi)
Elevation	620 m (2,030 ft)
Population  (2018-01-01)[2]
• Total	851
• Density	31/km2 (81/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	9613
Area code	04256
Website	hohenthurn.gv.at

Congregation structure

Hohenthurn consists of two cadastral communities, Dreulach and Hohenthurn, which comprise a total of the following six villages: (population status January 1, 2018)^[3]

• Achomitz (Zahomec) (90)
• Draschitz (Drašče) (189)
• Dreulach (Drevlje) (118)
• Göriach (Gorje) (99)
• Hohenthurn (Straja vas) (209)
• Stossau (Štasava) (146)

Geography

View over the Gail valley

Hohenthurn is located in the valley of the Gail river (Gailtal), near the confluence with the Gailitz tributary. The municipal area stretches on the northern slope of the Carnic Alps, close to the border with Italy. It comprises the cadastral communities of Hohenthurn proper and Dreulach (Drevlje).

According to a 2001 census, 8.3% of the population are Carinthian Slovenes, speaking the local Gail Valley dialect.

History

The municipality was the site of a prehistoric Hallstatt settlement as well as of a Roman watchtower, which is depicted in the coat of arms. Nevertheless, Hohenthurn (from German hoher Turm, i.e. "high tower"), first mentioned in a 1253 deed as Göströsdorf, probably derived its name from the steeple of the Gothic St. Cyriacus Church. Since the medieval Slavic settlement of the Eastern Alps, the area is a centre of Slovene tradition and customs.

Politics

Seats in the municipal council (Gemeinderat) as of 2015 local elections:

• Austrian People's Party (ÖVP): 5
• Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ): 3
• Community Voters (Enotna Lista): 2
• Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ): 1

International relations

Main article: List of twin towns and sister cities in Austria

Twin towns — Sister cities

Hohenthurn is twinned with:

• Moimacco, Italy since 2006

Notable people

• Matija Majar (1809–1892), Carinthian Slovene priest and activist, served at the parish church in the hamlet of Göriach from 1851 until 1867
• Karl Schnabl (born 1954), ski jumper