Bad Sankt Leonhard im Lavanttal

History

The area was settled since ancient times, when a Roman road led through the Lavanttal up to the Obdach Saddle pass and the Mur valley in present-day Upper Styria. In the 11th century, the surrounding Carinthian estates were enfeoffed to the Bishops of Bamberg by Emperor Henry II. A first chapel dedicated to Saint Leonard was consecrated during the tenure of Bishop Otto (1102–1139). His successors also had Gomarn Castle erected in order to protect their possessions, mainly from the rivalling Bishops of Lavant who resided at nearby Twimberg Castle. The settlement below the chapel was first mentioned in a 1278 deed, its citizens already had received town privileges by 1311, at the time when the Gothic parish church was erected. In the 15th century, mining for gold and silver became common in the area, run by the Fugger merchant family from Augsburg. Also, Sankt Leonhard became known for its mineral springs (Preblauer); the waters were mentioned by the physician Paracelsus in 1538. The Bamberg bishops finally sold the estates to the Habsburg empress Maria Theresa in 1759. Sankt Leonhard received the official status of a spa town (Bad) in 1935. During the Great Depression in the 1930s, several medieval stained glass windows of the parish church were sold and are now on display at The Cloisters museum in New York City.

Geography

The municipality lies in the upper Lavant valley (Lavanttal) north of the district capital Wolfsberg. The municipal area comprises the cadastral communities of Erzberg, Görlitzen, Kliening, Bad Sankt Leonhard proper, Schiefling, Schönberg, Theißing, and Twimberg. Bad St. Leonhard has access to the Süd Autobahn (A2). The Lavant Viaduct across the valley was inaugurated in 1986; with a height of , it is the second highest bridge in Austria.

Most-observed species

• Heather

  Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull · Magnoliopsida
  126
• Mountain Arnica

  Arnica montana L. · Magnoliopsida
  121
• bearded bellflower

  Campanula barbata L. · Magnoliopsida
  110
• Cowberry

  Vaccinium vitis-idaea L. · Magnoliopsida
  104
• common frog

  Rana temporaria Linnaeus, 1758 · Amphibia
  98
• Karinthian Mountain Grasshopper

  Miramella carinthiaca (Obenberger, 1926) · Insecta
  96
• Willow Gentian

  Gentiana asclepiadea L. · Magnoliopsida
  94
• Large Pink

  Dianthus superbus L. · Magnoliopsida
  93

Most recent

• M 3.9 — 2021-01-20
  3 km NNE of Ardning, Austria
• M 3.4 — 2013-04-07
  6 km NNE of Morav?e, Slovenia
• M 4 — 2013-02-02
  6 km S of Sittersdorf, Austria
• M 4.3 — 2012-12-03
  6 km NNE of Morav?e, Slovenia
• M 4.2 — 2009-05-07
  Austria
• M 3 — 2008-12-29
  1 km SSW of Gurk, Austria