St. Pölten

St. Pölten is the oldest city in Austria, and at the same time the youngest provincial capital of the country. It is at the centre of Lower Austria, the largest of Austria's nine provinces - a region that offers a great diversity of landforms: hilly areas alternate with broad plains, alpine regions with the idyllic Danube landscape.

The town of St. Pölten has 50,000 inhabitants and is home to more than 50 educational institutions, among them the University of Applied Sciences, one of Austria’s youngest and most modern university establishments. St. Pölten is the most important school and university centre in Lower Austria.

The provincial capital combines historical and contemporary architecture: the old baroque town centre has many historical buildings as well as shops, pubs and restaurants. In contrast, the biggest names in contemporary architecture have left their signatures in the Government Quarter, an impressive place with a lively art and cultural scene. Institutions like the Provincial Museum, the Festival Hall and the Sound Tower offer a number of events, shows and exhibitions throughout the year.

St. Pölten is sometimes called the "sport capital" of Lower Austria, being home to 120 modern sport facilities and over 100 acres of sport fields.

St. Pölten is centrally located, within easy reach by both train and car from Vienna, Linz and Salzburg. It is a good starting point for outdoor activities such as hiking and swimming, skiing and snowboarding. The nearby wine-growing region of the Wachau and historical sites such as the monastery of Melk and the basilica of Mariazell are popular places to visit for both natives and tourists.