Freistadt

For other uses, see Freistadt (disambiguation). You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in German.  (April 2026) Click [show] for important translation instructions. View a machine-translated version of the German article. Machine translation, like DeepL or Google Translate, is a useful starting point for translations, but translators must follow the LLM translation guideline, revise errors as necessary and confirm that the translation is accurate, rather than simply copy-pasting machine-translated text into the English Wikipedia. Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article. You must provide copyright attribution in the edit summary accompanying your translation by providing an interlanguage link to the source of your translation. A model attribution edit summary is Content in this edit is translated from the existing German Wikipedia article at [[:de:Freistadt]]; see its history for attribution. You may also add the template {{Translated|de|Freistadt}} to the talk page. For more guidance, see Wikipedia:Translation. Municipality in Upper Austria, AustriaFreistadtMunicipalityLinz gate Coat of armsLocation within Freistadt districtFreistadtLocation of Freistadt within AustriaShow map of AustriaFreistadtLocation of Freistadt within Upper AustriaShow map of Upper AustriaCoordinates: 48°30′41.25″N 14°30′18.72″E / 48.5114583°N 14.5052000°E / 48.5114583; 14.5052000Country AustriaStateUpper AustriaDistrictFreistadtGovernment • MayorElisabeth Paruta-Teufer (ÖVP)Area • Total12.88 km2 (4.97 sq mi)Elevation560 m (1,840 ft)Population (2018-01-01) • Total7,909 • Density614.1/km2 (1,590/sq mi)Time zoneUTC+1 (CET) • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)Postal code4240Area code07942Vehicle registrationFRWebsitewww.freistadt.at Freistadt (Austrian German pronunciation: [ˈfraɪʃtat] ⓘ, lit. 'Freetown') is a small Austrian town in the state of Upper Austria in the region Mühlviertel. With a population of approximately 7,500 residents, it is a trade centre for local villages. Freistadt is the economic centre of a district of the same name District Freistadt. The nearest sizeable cities are Linz, the capital of Upper Austria, about 40 km in the south, and České Budějovice, the capital of Southern Bohemia, about 60 km in the north.

[edit] The area surrounding Freistadt came under the dominion of the Bavarian Duchy in the seventh century. Freistadt was founded before 1220. The Babenberg Duke Leopold VI passed through the area in 1225. The earliest mention of Frienstat is in a document from 1241, but in 1277, Rudolf von Habsburg referred to Vreinstat in another document. Its position separated the Habsburg and Bohemian lands, and it stood at crossroads of the valuable salt and iron trade route, which had operated from prehistoric times through the Middle Ages. The outer and inner walls, towers and gates of the old city, built mainly between 1363 and 1393, still exist today. Freistadt suffered French incursions in 1805 and 1809, during the Napoleonic Wars. Since 1918, Freistadt has been part of Bundesland Upper Austria. Following the Anschluss with Germany on 13 March 1938, the locality was part of Gau Oberdonau but in 1945 was restored to Bundesland Upper Austria. Notgeld[edit] Like many municipalities of Upper Austria, Freistadt issued Notgeld for collectors in 1920.

[edit] Historical populationYearPop.±%18693,253—    18803,471+6.7%18903,361−3.2%19003,800+13.1%19103,988+4.9%19233,954−0.9%19343,992+1.0%19394,903+22.8%19515,136+4.8%19615,375+4.7%19715,963+10.9%19816,251+4.8%19916,251+0.0%20017,353+17.6%20117,482+1.8%

[edit] The main entrance to the Old Town is through the Linzer Tor (Linz Gate). The spacious Hauptplatz (main square) is surrounded by painted fronts of renovated burghers' houses. On the highest point of Freistadt stands the parish church of St Catherine (14th-15th century, remodelled in Baroque style in 1690 and rebuilt in Gothic style in 1967); note in particular the interlaced ribbed vaulting in the roof of the choir. At the northeastern corner of the square a gateway leads to the 14th century Schloss Freistadt, with a 50m/165 ft high keep which now houses the Mühlviertler Schlossmuseum, a local museum with a large collection of verre églomisé (glass decorated with a layer of engraved gold). Outside the Böhmertor (Bohemian Gate) stands the little 15th century Liebfrauenkirche with beautiful "pillars of light" of 1484. The town seen from the Bergfried (Castle) Area Map Bohemian Gate (Böhmertor) from the inner side Bergfried of the Castle Dechanthof Tower (and Dechantyard) Parish Church of St Catherine Pillars of Light from 1484 Verre églomisé from the Museum Burghers' House near the main square