St. Pölten is the capital of Lower Austria. It is sometimes called the pearl of the Austrian Baroque because of the magnificent buildings that survived from this period, such as the Franciscan church or the interior of the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.
The city was founded in the 8th century on the site of a Roman settlement. Initially, it developed at the Augustinian monastery, and the first written privileges it received are dated in the 12th century. Thus, it is often referred to as the oldest Austrian city.
The enormous heyday of St. Pölten survived in the 17th and 18th centuries. The Romanesque cathedral was rebuilt and received a magnificent baroque interior designed by a native of St. Pölten by architect Jakob Prandtauer. He is one of the most outstanding artists of the Austrian Baroque. It is also worth visiting the old town surrounding the cathedral with pretty tenement houses. Its decorations are the Rococo Franciscan church and the 18th-century column of Mary.
Among the attractions of St. Pölten are also local museums, the City Museum and the Diocesan Museum. Families enjoy the large Hammer Park with its recreational areas, a playground, a petting zoo and a pond.
