Lienz, Medieval town in East Tyrol, Austria
Lienz is a town in East Tyrol in the Puster Valley at 673 meters elevation, surrounded by the Hohe Tauern mountains and Lienz Dolomites. The main square with its arcades forms the center of the old town with facades from different periods.
The settlement received town rights in 1242 and developed into the administrative seat of the Counts of Görz. After several changes of rule, it came under Habsburg control in 1500.
The town name derives from the Roman settlement Aguntum, located a few kilometers to the east. Today, Schloss Bruck castle with its distinctive tower shapes the skyline at the western edge of town.
The old town can be crossed on foot in about half an hour, with most shops and cafes located around the main square. In winter, warm clothing is recommended due to the valley location with longer shadowed periods.
The town forms an exclave of the state of Tyrol, separated from North Tyrol by a roughly five-kilometer border with Salzburg. This division arose through the Treaty of Saint-Germain after World War I.
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