Sankt Pölten

Sankt Pölten, city, capital of Niederösterreich Bundesland (federal state), northeastern Austria. It lies along the Traisen River between the foothills of the Alps and the Danube River, west of Vienna.

Once the site of the Roman settlement of Aelium Cetium, the town developed in the 8th century around an abbey dedicated to St. Hippolytus, whose name in Germanicized form became Sankt Pölten. The bishops of Passau (now in Germany) controlled the city until 1490. It was chartered in 1159 and became an episcopal see in 1785. Notable landmarks include the cathedral (originally the abbey church) and the Renaissance town hall, both remodeled in the 18th century; the convent of the Institut der Englischen Fräulein and the Prandtauer church, both designed by the local architect Jakob Prandtauer (1660–1726); the episcopal palace (1636–53); and the Franciscan church (1757–68). An Augustinian abbey is in nearby Herzogenburg.

An important rail junction, Sankt Pölten is a market centre for the immediate countryside. It also has a manufacturing industry. The city was chosen to replace Vienna as the state capital in 1986, and the modern architecture of some government buildings contrasts with the old townscape. A considerable number of government employees live elsewhere in the state and commute to the city for work. Pop. (2006) 51,068.