Villach

Villach is the second biggest city in Carinthia and it is situated in the south of Austria. It has got 57 646 inhabitants. There runs a river through the city which is called the Drau and is about half as big as the Danube.

History

Villach was found around 3500 B.C. A lot of Roman artefacts were found there. Villach got its first mayor in the 16th century. In 1348 an earthquake destroyed a big part of Villach followed by another earthquake in 1690. There were also several fires in Villach which destroyed a lot of buildings. During the time of Napoleon’s reign Villach was a part of France. It was reconquered in 1813

Geography

In the surrounding of Villach there are several lakes:

• Lake Ossiacher • Lake Faaker • Lake Wörther

Villach is also surrounded by a couple of mountains which are used for skiing in winter and hiking in summer. It takes only half an hour to get to the border between Austria and Italy.

Festivals

There are several festivals throughout the year:

• the carnival in Villach (it starts on 11th November and ends on

       4th March)

• the arts and crafts festival (with self made goods)

• the streets-art festival (with performances of artist and singers)

• the church day

• performances at a stage along the Drau