Rachau
Former municipality in Styria, Austria
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rachau is a former municipality in the district of Murtal in Styria, Austria with 626 inhabitants. Since the 2015 Styria municipal structural reform, it is part of the municipality Sankt Margarethen bei Knittelfeld.[2] It is divided into three districts: Mitterbach, Glein Rachau, and the village of Rachau itself. Neighbouring settlements include Apfelberg, St. Margarethen, St. Lorenzen, Kleinlobming, St. Stefan ob Leoben, Salla, Übelbach, Kainach bei Voitsberg und Gallmannsegg.
Rachau | |
|---|---|
View of Rachau | |
 Coat of arms | |
  Rachau Location within Austria | |
| Coordinates: 47°13′02″N 14°54′54″E | |
| Country | Austria |
| State | Styria |
| District | Murtal |
| Area | |
• Total | 104.93 km2 (40.51 sq mi) |
| Population (1 January 2016)[1] | |
• Total | 613 |
| • Density | 5.84/km2 (15.1/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 8720 |
| Area code | 03512 |
| Vehicle registration | KF |
| Website | Gemeinde Rachau |
The Mayor of Rachau was Karl Hirtler of the ÖVP; Bernadette Hartleb (ÖVP) was vice mayor. There is a primary school and two volunteer firefighters in the village.
Rachau hillclimb
From 1995 to 2004 Rachau hosted a hillclimbing event. Riders of motorbikes and also quadbikes and even the occasional car or converted jetski/snowmobile would attempt to ride as far up the hillside as possible without falling off.[3] Whoever attained the greatest distance won the event. This was televised across Europe on Eurosport and attracted a trackside audience of 10,000 to 30,000 people. It also had sponsorship from the drink Red Bull.
Witches' trail
Rachau has a trail known as the Witches' Trail (German: Hexenpfad). It starts at a church and it contains signs that children enjoy.[4]
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