View source for Bludenz

{{Infobox settlement
| name                            = Bludenz
| native_name                     = Bludaz
| settlement_type                 = [[Municipality (Austria)|Municipality]]<!-- Images     -->
| image_skyline                   = Bludenz overview.jpg
| imagesize                       = 
| image_caption                   = View from southwest
| image_shield                    = AUT Bludenz COA.svg
| shield_size                     = 80x110px
| shield_link                     = <!-- Maps           -->
| pushpin_map                     = Austria
| pushpin_mapsize                 = 270
| pushpin_map_caption             = Location within Austria
| image_map                       = Bludenz im Bezirk BZ.png
| mapsize                         = 260x260px
| map_alt                         = 
| map_caption                     = Location in the district
<!-- Location    -->| coordinates                     = {{coord|47|08|00|N|09|49|00|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type                = Country
| subdivision_name                = [[Austria]]
| subdivision_type1               = [[States of Austria|State]]
| subdivision_name1               = [[Vorarlberg]]
| subdivision_type2               = [[District (Austria)|District]]
| subdivision_name2               = [[Bludenz District|Bludenz]]
| parts_type                      = 
| parts_style                     = para
| p1                              = <!-- Leaders -->
| leader_title                    = [[Burgomaster|Mayor]]
| leader_name                     = Simon Tschann
| leader_party                    = {{Polparty|Austria| ÖVP }}
| leader_title1                   = 
| leader_name1                    = <!-- Statistics -->
| area_footnotes                  = {{Austria population Wikidata|area_footnotes}}
| area_total_km2                  = {{Austria population Wikidata|area_total_km2}}
| area_metro_km2                  = 
| elevation_m                     = 588
| elevation_max_m                 = 
| elevation_min_m                 = 
| population_as_of                = {{Austria population Wikidata|population_as_of}}
| population_footnotes            = {{Austria population Wikidata|population_footnotes}}
| population_total                = {{Austria population Wikidata|population_total}}
| population_urban                = 
| population_metro                = 
| population_note                 = 
| population_density_km2          = auto
| established_title               = 
| established_date                = 
| timezone                        = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| timezone_DST                    = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
| utc_offset                      = +1
| utc_offset_DST                  = +2
| registration_plate              = [[Vehicle registration plates of Austria|BZ]]
| postal_code_type                = [[List of postal codes in Austria|Postal code]]
| postal_code                     = 6700
| area_code_type                  = [[Telephone numbers in Austria|Area code]]
| area_code                       = 05552
| website                         = {{official website|http://www.bludenz.at}}
| footnotes                       = 
}}
'''Bludenz''' ({{IPA|de|ˈbluːdɛnt͡s|-|LL-Q188 (deu)-Frank C. Müller-Bludenz.wav}}; [[Alemannic German|Alemannic]]: ''Bludaz'') is a [[town]] in the westernmost [[Austria]]n state of [[Vorarlberg]]. It is the administrative seat of the [[Bludenz District]], which encompasses about half of Vorarlberg's territory. As of January 2025, Bludenz had a population of 15,102.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bevölkerung zu Jahres-/Quartalsanfang |url=https://www.statistik.at/statistiken/bevoelkerung-und-soziales/bevoelkerung/bevoelkerungsstand/bevoelkerung-zu-jahres-/-quartalsanfang |access-date=2025-08-24 |website=STATISTIK AUSTRIA |language=de-AT}}</ref>

==Geography==
The town is located on the [[Ill (Austria)|Ill]] River, a direct tributary of the [[Rhine]]. It is surrounded by the ranges of the [[Bregenz Forest Mountains]] in the north, and by the [[Rätikon]] and [[Silvretta Alps|Silvretta]] ranges in the south. Bludenz lies at the meeting point of five valleys: Walgau and [[Montafon]] (Ill), Brandnertal, Klostertal up to [[Arlberg]] Pass, and Großes Walsertal.

Bludenz is a popular starting point for hiking and mountain-biking in spring, summer, and autumn. It is located not far from many skiing resorts (e.g., Brand<ref>{{in lang|de}} [http://brand.at Brand website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080826214918/http://www.brand.at/ |date=2008-08-26 }}</ref> and Lech<ref>{{in lang|de}} [http://www.lech.at Lech website]</ref>).

Major companies are [[Mondelēz International]] ([[Milka]] chocolate) and the [[Brauerei Fohrenburg|Fohrenburg brewery]] which was established in 1881.<ref>{{in lang|de}} [http://www.fohrenburger.at Fohrenburger website]</ref>
{{wide image|Panorama-Nonnenalpe to Walgau with Bludenz.jpg|800px|alt=View to Bludenz on the right hand side, some neighbouring villages, Feldkirch and Liechtenstein in the background.}}

==History==
Archaeological finds indicate that settlement in the area of Bludenz began in the [[Bronze Age]],<ref>{{in lang|de}} [http://www.bludenz.at/de/stadtverwaltung/stadtwappen/ Infos at Bludenz website]{{dead link|date=November 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> and continued throughout the [[La Tène culture|La Tène]] era.

Bludenz itself was first mentioned in the year 830 CE in an [[urbarium]] of the [[Raetia]]n estates within the [[Carolingian Empire]]. The town was established by the comital [[Werdenberg (Holy Roman Empire)|Werdenberg]] dynasty; [[town privileges]] were granted in 1274. A stay by the [[House of Habsburg|Habsburg]] Duke [[Frederick IV, Duke of Austria|Frederick IV]] of [[Duchy of Austria|Austria]], who had just received an [[imperial ban]] at the [[Council of Constance]], is documented from 30 March 1416. Four years later, Bludenz passed into the [[Further Austria]]n possessions of the Habsburg dynasty.

[[File:KlosterStPeter1.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Priory of St. Peter in Bludenz]]

The Bludenz district headquarters are situated in the [[Castle]] of Gayenhofen, built in the 18th century.

== Education ==
High schools in Blundenz include [[Bundesgymnasium und Bundesrealgymnasium Bludenz]].
== Transport ==
The nearest airports to the town are:
*[[St. Gallen–Altenrhein Airport]] (57 km north west)
*[[Zurich Airport]] (154 km north west)

== Culture ==
The '''[[Alpinale Short Film Festival]]''' was founded in 1985 in Bludenz. In August, around 40 international short films are shown to a crowd of 1,000 visitors. Related events are the Alpinale Ländle Tour, the Vorarlberger Short Film Night, and the Horror Short Film Night in autumn.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Alpinale, Forum Österreichischer Filmfestivals|url=http://www.film-festivals.at/festivals/alpinale|access-date=2020-06-29|website=www.film-festivals.at}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=alpinale|title=Veranstaltungen|url=https://alpinale.at/veranstaltungen/|access-date=2020-06-29|website=ALPINALE|language=de-DE}}</ref> The festival has taken place in Bludenz from 1985 to 2002, and from 2020 onwards. Between 2003 and 2019, it was held in Nenzing.<ref>{{Cite web|last=red|first=vorarlberg ORF at|date=2019-10-30|title=Alpinale kehrt nach Bludenz zurück|url=https://vorarlberg.orf.at/stories/3019582/|access-date=2020-06-29|website=vorarlberg.ORF.at|language=de}}</ref>

The [[Brauerei Fohrenburg#Brewery Museum Fohrenburg|'''Brewery Museum Fohrenburg''']] displays the development of the Fohrenburg brewery and beer brewing in Bludenz in general. Historical photographs, old beer bottles and labels, earlier advertising motifs and equipment for beer production allow a look back at more than 130 years of Fohrenburg's brewing history.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Brauereimuseum Fohrenburg Bludenz|url=https://museenvorarlberg.at/museum.php?s=brauereimuseum-fohrenburg-bludenz|access-date=2020-08-02|website=museenvorarlberg.at}}</ref>
[[File:Bludenz-Muttersberg-Restaurant-Brandnertal-03ASD.jpg|thumb|Restaurant Muttersberg at the Muttersberg in Bludenz, Vorarlberg (2000). In the background the beginning of the [[Brandnertal]].]]
The '''[[Bludenzer Tage zeitgemäßer Musik (music festival)|Bludenzer Tage zeitgemäßer Musik]]''' is an international contemporary music festival annually held in autumn/winter. It was founded by Hans Peter Frick, later artistic directors were [[Georg Friedrich Haas]],  Wolfram Schurig and [[Alexander Moosbrugger]] and the young Italian composer, [[Clara Iannotta]], who been responsible for the programme since 2014. Over the years, more than 100 world premieres have been performed in Bludenz.<ref>{{Cite web|title=BTZM|url=http://allerart-bludenz.at/btzm/|url-status=live|access-date=8 August 2021|website=allerArt Bludenz|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150519070558/http://allerart-bludenz.at:80/btzm/ |archive-date=2015-05-19 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Ufer|first=Julia|date=2021-07-12|title=Bludenzer Tage zeitgemäßer Musik 2021 / Remise, Bludenz » CREATIVE AUSTRIA – Contemporary Culture|url=https://www.creativeaustria.at/2021/07/12/bludenzer-tage-zeitgemaesser-musik-2021-remise-bludenz/|access-date=2021-08-08|website=CREATIVE AUSTRIA – Contemporary Culture|language=de-DE}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{div col |colwidth=30em}}
{{Historical populations
|align=left

|1869|2466
|1880|3151
|1890|4501
|1900|5361
|1910|5870
|1923|6019
|1934|7738
|1939|7738
|1951|10178
|1961|11127
|1971|12273
|1981|12891
|1991|13369
|2001|13701
|2011|13726
|2021|14,961|2025|15,102}}
{{div col end}}
{{clear left}}

== Notable people ==
[[File:20171213 Markus Wallner 850 8541.jpg|thumb|140px|[[Markus Wallner]], 2017]]
* [[Bertram Batlogg]] (born 1950), an Austrian physicist, researches [[high-temperature superconductivity]]
* [[Herbert Willi]] (born 1956), an Austrian composer of classical music
* [[Robert Rollinger]] (born 1964), an ancient historian and [[Assyriologist]], worked on [[Herodotus]]
* [[Markus Wallner]] (born 1967), an Austrian politician (ÖVP) and [[List of governors of Vorarlberg|governor of Vorarlberg]].

=== Sport ===
* [[Dietmar Berchtold]] (born 1974), an Austrian football midfielder, played over 370 games
* [[Dursun Karatay]] (born 1984), an Austrian football player who has played over 250 games
* [[Johannes Strolz]] (born 1992), alpine ski racer, won two gold and one silver medal at the [[2022 Winter Olympics]]
* [[Seifedin Chabbi]] (born 1993), an Austrian footballer who has played over 260 games
* [[Marco Stark (Austrian footballer)|Marco Stark]] (born 1993), an Austrian former footballer who played over 290 games

== Transport ==
There are three active [[railway stations]] in Bludenz: [[Bludenz railway station]] (the main railway station) located on the intersection of the [[Vorarlberg Railway]], [[Arlberg Railway]] and [[Bludenz–Schruns railway]] (''[[Montafonerbahn]]'') lines, and [[Bludenz-Moos railway station]] and [[Brunnenfeld-Stallehr railway station]], both located on the Bludenz–Schruns railway line. The stations are served by the S4 regional train service of the [[Vorarlberg S-Bahn]]. Bludenz station is the southern terminus of the S1 service of Vorarlberg S-Bahn.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category-inline|Bludenz}}
*{{in lang|de}} [http://www.bludenz.at Bludenz official website]

{{Cities and towns in Bludenz (district)}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cities and towns in Bludenz District]]
[[Category:Vorarlberg]]