Irschen is a municipality in the district of Spittal an der Drau in the Austrian state of Carinthia.

Irschen
Coat of arms of Irschen
Irschen is located in Austria
Irschen
Irschen
Location within Austria
Coordinates: 46°45′N 13°1′E / 46.750°N 13.017°E / 46.750; 13.017
CountryAustria
StateCarinthia
DistrictSpittal an der Drau
Government
 • MayorGottfried Mandler
Area
 • Total
33.35 km2 (12.88 sq mi)
Elevation
809 m (2,654 ft)
Population
 (2018-01-01)[2]
 • Total
2,022
 • Density61/km2 (160/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
9773
Area code04710
Websitewww.irschen.at

Geography

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It consists of the Katastralgemeinden Irschen, Ritterdorf, and Simmerlach. It is situated on the northern slope of the Upper Drava Valley, near the B 100 Drautal Straße highway and the Drautalbahn railway line.

 
Panorama near Potschling, panorama
 
View to Gröfelhof

History

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A settlement area since the Early Iron Age (Hallstatt Culture), Irschen may be identical to the Idunum polis in the former Celtic kingdom of Noricum, as mentioned in Ptolemy's Geographia. In Roman times a mansio laid on the road leading over the Gailbergsattel mountain pass to Italia. Ursus I, Patriarch of Aquileia probably built the first church about 810 in the place then called Ursen, which was mentioned as Castrum Ursen in a 1086 deed. In medieval times Irschen was a mining area, especially for gold.

It was recently revealed that the English actress Billie Piper has a home in this region.

References

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  1. ^ "Dauersiedlungsraum der Gemeinden Politischen Bezirke und Bundesländer - Gebietsstand 1.1.2018". Statistics Austria. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  2. ^ "Einwohnerzahl 1.1.2018 nach Gemeinden mit Status, Gebietsstand 1.1.2018". Statistics Austria. Retrieved 9 March 2019.