Gaming, Austria
| Gaming | ||
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 Gaming
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| Coordinates: 47°56′00″N 15°05′00″E / 47.93333°N 15.08333°ECoordinates: 47°56′00″N 15°05′00″E / 47.93333°N 15.08333°E | ||
| Country | Austria | |
| State | Lower Austria | |
| District | Scheibbs | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor | Kurt Pöchhacker (SPÖ) | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 244.07 km2 (94.24 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 431 m (1,414 ft) | |
| Population (1 January 2016) | ||
| • Total | 3,163 | |
| • Density | 13/km2 (34/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | |
| Postal code | 3292 | |
| Area code | 07485 | |
| Vehicle registration | SB | |
| Website | www.gaming.gv.at | |
Gaming is a municipality within the district of Scheibbs in Lower Austria. It is known primarily for an old Carthusian monastery existing within its borders. This served as the home and burial place of Duke Albert II of the Habsburg family, and now serves as the main campus for Franciscan University of Steubenville's Study Abroad program.
Gaming is located in Lower Austria in the district of Scheibbs. It is in the foothills of the Austrian Alps.
Gaming is in the Ötscher region of Austria, an area that offers many natural attractions to tourists. One of these attractions is the Second Viennese Spring Water Channel, which starts at the base of the Alps and provides high quality water to Vienna. Near Gaming is the Ötscher-Tormauer Nature Park, which is the largest of the parks in Lower Austria, and is valued for its scenic rivers, waterfalls, and rock formations. The Ötscher region also contains one of the last ancient forests existing within Central Europe.
The area appeals to tourists due to its natural beauty, the presence of numerous nature trails (one book named as many as fifty-five), and its abundance of clean water. In addition, the area attracts tourists for its ski slopes and mountains, and the rivers and lakes are used for kayaking, boating, rafting, and swimming.
Gaming had a population of 3,281 as of 1 January 2011. The population has been steadily decreasing over the past few years. This is due to a number of factors that have affected Austria in general since the 1970s, including: decreased birth rates, changes in attitudes towards marriage and bearing children, and increased contraception.
Gaming’s economy is primarily centered on lumber, agriculture, hunting, and fishing. Gaming has a high school devoted to the study and learning of agricultural practices.
A settlement existed in Gaming as early as the ninth century. It was initially settled by Celts, Germanic tribes, and Romans, before eventually becoming home to Slavs. The name "Gaming" is derived from the Slavic language and can be translated as "stone" or "hollow". The land was taken over by the Avars, who were then defeated by Charlemagne at the end of the eighth century.
The area was soon Christianized by the Franks and the Bavarians, and became formally overseen by the province of Carinthia. The first mention of a parish priest in Gaming comes from a document from 1274.
During the late Middle Ages, the iron trade formed most of Gaming's economy, as it was an important part of the economy of the nearby province of Styria. Consequently, the forests became an essential resource as well, since extreme heat was needed to make iron products. During this time, they developed systems for moving the wood, both via river and via land. The structures put in place on the river still stand today.
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Wikipedia