Feldbach

Feldbach lies in the Raab valley of eastern Styria. First recorded as Velwinbach in 1188, it had a documented parish by 1232 and became a market in 1265. Its stone measure for grain served as a standard over a wide area of eastern Styria. From the later fifteenth century feuds and wars repeatedly brought destruction to the district; in 1469 the troops of Andreas Baumkircher devastated the entire market settlement.

After that attack, Feldbach acquired a fortified refuge known as the Tabor. On 26 October 1605 Hajduk forces allied with the Ottomans invaded the Raab valley and destroyed the settlement apart from the refuge. The inhabitants subsequently built a continuous circuit of defences with gates around the market. Agriculture and crafts remained the main occupations of the local community.