ÖSTERREICH | AUSTRIA |
Bundesland: Oberösterreich | Upper Austria |
Bezirk: Linz-Land |
Enns is situated on the left bank of the river Enns shortly before its confluence with the river Danube. The earliest traces of human settlements in this area date from the early Stone Age. The village of Lorch, which today is a cadastral district of Enns, developed out of the Roman town Lauriacum from the 1st and 2nd century AD. At about 900 the castle of Enns was established as a border fortress against the East. From the 12th century onward, Enns was an important trading place. It obtained the freedom of the city in 1212.
The Stadtturm (City Tower) (59 m high) on the Stadtplatz (town square) dates from 1564–1568 and is the landmark of Enns.
Saint Florian, the only martyr of the early christendom in Austria who is
known by name, was drowned in the river Enns at Lorch on the 4th of May 304.
Florianus was a high officer of the Roman army and held a high administrative post in
the Roman province of Noricum. According to the legend he gave himself up to the
soldiers of Aquilinus, the governor, when they were rounding up christians.
His body was recovered and buried by a pious woman, and later was brought to
Sankt Florian. It is said that his bones were
brought to Rome at a later date, and in 1138 Pope Lucius III gave some of
the relics to King Casimir II of Poland and to the bishop of Kraków.
On the 4th of May 2005, the 1,700th anniversary of his martyrdom,
St. Florian was officially recognized as second patron saint of Upper Austria.
He is also the patron saint of Upper Austria's capital, Linz, and of Poland.
He is often invoked to guard against fire. His feast day is the 4th of May.