St. Polten

St. Polten is the capital and largest city of the Austrian state of Lower Austria, on the Traisen river in the Mostviertel region. Built on the site of the Roman settlement of Aelium Cetium from the second to fourth centuries CE, it saw a Benedictine monastery established in 791 and officially became a city in 1169; its name derives, shortened over time, from Saint Hippolytus of Rome. The city became capital of Lower Austria in 1986, replacing Vienna, with the regional government relocating there in 1997, and as of 1 January 2025 the population was 59,767. St. Polten hosts an annual ATP 250 tennis tournament each May, is home to the Tonkuenstler Orchestra, and its landmark Klangturm has helped drive recent tourism growth alongside the city's proximity to Vienna.