# Villach

> city in Carinthia, Austria

**Wikidata**: [Q483522](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q483522)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villach)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/villach

## Summary

Villach is a statutory city located in the state of Carinthia, Austria. Situated on the Drava River at an elevation of 501 meters, it covers an area of approximately 135 square kilometers. As of January 1, 2023, the city has a population of 65,127 residents and is governed by Mayor Günther Albel.

## Key Facts

*   **Location:** Villach is situated in Carinthia, Austria (Coordinates: 46.617°N, 13.833°E).
*   **Legal Status:** It is a statutory city (*Statutarstadt*), meaning it holds both municipal and district administrative powers.
*   **Population:** 65,127 (as of January 1, 2023).
*   **Area:** 134.98 square kilometers (as of January 1, 2018).
*   **Elevation:** 501 meters above sea level.
*   **Government:** The current Mayor is Günther Albel, who assumed office in 2015.
*   **Time Zone:** UTC+01:00 (Standard Time) / UTC+02:00 (Daylight Saving Time).
*   **Postal Code:** 9500.
*   **Licence Plate:** VI.
*   **Awards:** Named "Alpine Town of the Year" in 1997 and designated a "European City of the Reformation."
*   **Twin Towns:** Bamberg (Germany), Suresnes (France), Udine (Italy), and Kaposvár (Hungary).

## FAQs

**What is the geographical location and size of Villach?**
Villach is located in the Austrian state of Carinthia at coordinates 46.617° N, 13.833° E. The city spans an area of 134.98 square kilometers and is situated 501 meters above sea level on the banks of the Drava River.

**Who is the current head of government?**
Günther Albel has served as the Mayor of Villach since 2015. His predecessor was Helmut Manzenreiter, who served from 1987 to 2015.

**What are the demographic details of the city?**
As of January 1, 2023, the population of Villach was 65,127. Previous records show a population of 61,879 in 2018 and 61,218 in 2016.

**What international relationships does Villach maintain?**
Villach is twinned with Bamberg (since 1973), Suresnes, Udine (since 1979), and Kaposvár. Additionally, the city has been a member of the Climate Alliance since 1994.

## Why It Matters

Villach holds significance as one of Austria's statutory cities, functioning as its own administrative district without a separate district government. This status highlights its importance as a regional administrative and economic hub within Carinthia. The city's recognition as the "Alpine Town of the Year" in 1997 underscores its commitment to sustainable alpine living and environmental stewardship. Its location on the Drava River and its historical mentions in texts like the *Topographia Provinciarum Austriacarum* and the *Encyclopædia Britannica 11th edition* point to a long-standing historical relevance. Furthermore, its active participation in international networks, such as the Climate Alliance and town twinning programs, illustrates its role in fostering cross-border cultural and environmental cooperation.

## Notable For

*   **Administrative Status:** Being a statutory city (*Statutarstadt*) and a district of Austria simultaneously.
*   **Environmental Leadership:** Receiving the "Alpine Town of the Year" award in 1997 and joining the Climate Alliance in 1994.
*   **Religious History:** Being designated a "European City of the Reformation."
*   **Cultural Heritage:** Hosting numerous cultural heritage monuments and being the subject of encyclopedic entries dating back to early topographical surveys.
*   **Geographical Features:** Being located on the Drava River and near Lake Ossiach (sharing a border with Ossiach).

## Body

### Governance and Administration
Villach operates as a municipality of Austria with town rights and privileges, specifically holding the status of a statutory city. This unique classification allows it to exercise the powers of a district. The city is identified by the Austrian municipality key "20201" and the HASC code "AT.KA.VI". The seat of government is located at Rathausplatz 1, A-9500 Villach. The city's administration can be contacted via email at service@villach.at or through its official website, villach.at. The current head of government is Günther Albel (term started 2015). He succeeded Helmut Manzenreiter (1987–2015) and Viktor Petschnik (1945–1951).

### Geography and Demographics
The city is located in the state of Carinthia (Kärnten) at an elevation of 501 meters. Its geographic coordinates are 46.616666666667 latitude and 13.833333333333 longitude. The city covers an area of 134.98 square kilometers as of 2018. It shares borders with Ossiach, Weißenstein, the Villach-Land District, and the Feldkirchen District. A prominent body of water flowing through or next to the city is the Drava.

Demographically, Villach has seen steady growth. The resident register counted 65,127 people as of January 1, 2023. Earlier statistics recorded 61,879 residents in 2018 and 61,218 residents in 2016 (based on "Hauptwohnsitz" or main residence).

### Infrastructure and Codes
Villach is served by the postal code 9500 and uses the local dialing code 04242. Vehicles registered in the city display the licence plate code "VI". On an international level, the city has the UN/LOCODE "ATVLH" and the GADM ID "AUT.2.8_1".

### International Relations and Recognition
Villach maintains strong international ties through town twinning agreements. These include partnerships with Bamberg (initiated in 1973), Suresnes, Udine (initiated September 15, 1979), and Kaposvár. The city has been a member of the Climate Alliance since 1994. It has received significant accolades, including the title "Alpine Town of the Year" in 1997 and "European City of the Reformation."

### Cultural Heritage and Media
The city is associated with numerous cadastral districts, including Drobollach, Federaun, Gratschach, Judendorf, Maria Gail, Seebach, and Vassach. It maintains a list of cultural heritage monuments and has a dedicated category for births, deaths, and people associated with the city.

Villach has been described by several historical and academic sources, including the *Topographia Provinciarum Austriacarum*, the *Great dictionary of geographical names*, and the *Encyclopædia Britannica 11th edition*.

In digital media, the city maintains an active presence with a YouTube channel (StadtVillach, started March 17, 2011), Facebook (stadtvillach), and Instagram (villach.at). It also has a presence on Wikidata and Wikipedia, with entries in over 80 languages including German, English, Japanese (フィラハ), and Slovenian (native label: Beljak).

### Identifiers and Database Entries
Villach is indexed in a vast array of databases and libraries. Key identifiers include:
*   **GND ID:** 4063533-8
*   **VIAF ID:** 143081732
*   **GeoNames ID:** 2762366
*   **MusicBrainz Area ID:** dee21c61-9ab6-4321-b5a5-6ece79c1330a
*   **Library of Congress Authority ID:** n81135052
*   **Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID:** place/Villach
*   **Treccani ID:** villaco / villach
*   **Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names ID:** 7003232
*   **OpenStreetMap Relation ID:** 106163

## References

1. archINFORM
2. [Source](http://www.alpenstaedte.org/de/alpenstaedte-1/206)
3. [Source](https://villach.at/stadt-erleben/ueber-villach/staedtepartnerschaften)
4. [Source](https://www.udine20.it/a-udine-tutte-le-citta-gemellate-2225-ott/2009/10/20/)
5. Virtual International Authority File
6. [Source](http://www.klimabuendnis.org/nc/kommunen/das-netzwerk.html)
7. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
8. Czech National Authority Database
9. [Source](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/bresu/oe_gemeinden/a41434c7941c8902852ad6849e48a78cf475a80c/gemeinden_CSV.csv)
10. MusicBrainz
11. Statistik Austria: Population at the beginning of the year for municipalities since 2002
12. [Einwohnerzahl 1.1.2018 nach Gemeinden mit Status, Gebietsstand 1.1.2018. Statistics Austria](https://www.statistik.at/web_de/klassifikationen/regionale_gliederungen/gemeinden/index.html)
13. [Source](https://www.statistik.at/statistiken/bevoelkerung-und-soziales/bevoelkerung/bevoelkerungsstand/bevoelkerung-zu-jahres-/-quartalsanfang)
14. GeoNames
15. [Dauersiedlungsraum der Gemeinden Politischen Bezirke und Bundesländer - Gebietsstand 1.1.2018. Statistics Austria](http://www.statistik.at/web_de/klassifikationen/regionale_gliederungen/dauersiedlungsraum/index.html)
16. Quora
17. [Source](https://www.govdirectory.org/austria/)
18. YouTube API
19. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiort.php)
20. [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/places/inaturalist-places.csv.zip)
21. [Source](http://www.statoids.com/yat.html)