Velden am Wörther See (Slovene: Vrba na Koroškem) is a market town in Villach-Land District, in the Austrian state of Carinthia. Situated on the western shore of the Wörthersee lake, it is one of the country's most popular holiday resorts.
Geography The municipal area of Velden is subdivided into eight Katastralgemeinden (cadastral communities): Augsdorf, Duel, Kerschdorf ob Velden, Köstenberg, Latschach an der Drau, Lind ob Velden, St. Egyden, and Velden am Wörther See – which include 30 villages:
Aich (Dob) Augsdorf (Loga Vas) Bach (Potok) Dieschitz (Deščice) Dröschitz (Trešiče) Duel (Dole) Fahrendorf Göriach (Gorje) Kantnig (Konatiče) Kerschdorf (Črešnje) (Kostanje) Kranzlhofen (Dvor) Latschach (Loče) Lind ob Velden (Lipa) Oberdorf (Zgornja vas) Oberjeserz (Zgornje Jezerce) Oberwinklern (Vogliče) Pulpitsch (Polpače) Rajach (Sreje) Saisserach (Zajzare) St. Egyden (Šentilj) Selpritsch (Žoprače) Sonnental Sternberg (Šentjurij na Strmcu) Treffen (Trebinja) Unterjeserz (Spodnje Jezerce) Unterwinklern (Spodnje Vogliče) Velden am Wörther See (Vrba) Weinzierl (Vinare) Wurzen (Koren)
History
Originally a mansio on the Roman road between Villach (Sanctium) and Magdalensberg. It was first mentioned in a 1263 deed as Campus and in 1410 as Velben. In medieval times it belonged to the estates of the Burgruine Hohenwart, seat of the Counts of Celje, the Counts of Ortenburg, the Knightly Order of Saint George in Millstatt Abbey, and finally the Austrian House of Habsburg.
In 1545, the Protestant Khevenhüller noble family had acquired the lands of Landskron and Velden, where Bartlmä Khevenhüller from 1585 had a renaissance architecture manor house built. His descendants were expelled from the Habsburg lands in the course of the Counter-Reformation in 1639, and the castle then fell to the noble House of Dietrichstein. Decayed and demolished by a fire, it was rebuilt in 1892, as a hotel called Schloss Velden.
Later an estate of Gunter Sachs, it was the filming location for the popular 1990-1992 German-Austrian TV series Ein Schloß am Wörthersee starring Schlager singer Roy Black.
Politics The municipal council (Gemeinderat) consists of 27 members. Since the 2021 local elections, it is made up of the following parties: Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ): 16 seats Austrian People's Party (ÖVP): 7 seats Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ): 3 seats The Greens The Green Alternative (GRÜNE): 1 seat The current mayor is Dr. Margit Heissenberger (SPÖ). She took over Ferdinand Vouk in March 2026.
Twin towns — sister cities
Velden am Wörther See is twinned with: Bled, Slovenia, since 2004 Gemona del Friuli, Italy Jesolo, Italy, since 2006
Gallery
References
External links
Schloss Velden official website Hotel Ogris am See official website | Family-run design hotel at the lakeside Holiday in Velden am Wörther See | Info website for tourists