Zwettl (German pronunciation: [ˈt͡svɛtl̩]; Central Bavarian: Zwedl; Czech: Světlá) is a town and district capital of the Austrian state of Lower Austria. It is chiefly known as the location of Zwettl Abbey, first mentioned in October 1139.

Quick Facts Zwedl, Country ...

Zwettl Zwedl
Old Town Hall
Coat of arms
Zwettl Location within Austria
Coordinates: 48°36′12″N 15°10′08″E
Country	Austria
State	Lower Austria
District	Zwettl
Government
• Mayor	Franz Mold (ÖVP)
Area [1]
• Total	256.31 km2 (98.96 sq mi)
Elevation	520 m (1,710 ft)
Population  (2018-01-01)[2]
• Total	10,908
• Density	43/km2 (110/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	3910
Area code	02822
Vehicle registration	ZT
Website	www.zwettl.gv.at

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The name originates from Slavic "svetla" meaning "glade". Although the etymology suggests an early population of Slavic people no archeological evidence has been found yet.^[3] Zwettl was founded by the knights of Kuenring and was first mentioned in a monastery record in 1139. It was granted town privileges on December 28, 1200. Today, the Cistercian convent in Zwettl houses the only remaining manuscript of the life of the beguine mystic Agnes Blannbekin.

Zwettl has a total area of 98.9 square miles (256.7 km²). The town is found in the middle of Waldviertel at the confluence of the Kamp and Zwettl rivers at the upper part of Kamptal. After Vienna and Wolfsberg in Carinthia, it is the third largest municipality in Austria by area.

• (Johann) Michael von Puchberg (1741–1822), promoter and estate administrators of Mozart, merchant, philanthropist, born here
• Georg Ritter von Schönerer, (1842-1921), died here
• Hugo Jury, (1887-1945), physician and National Socialist politician, lived here
• Benno Mengele (1898–1971), electrical engineer, born here
• Walter Nowotny, (1920-1944), Luftwaffe officer, lived here
• Peter Härtling, (born 1933), writer and poet, lived here
• Josef Haslinger (born 1955), writer, born here (de)
• Christoph Jank (born 1973), footballer
• Florian Metz, (born 1985), footballer, born here
• Andreas Haider-Maurer (born 1987), tennis player
• Andreas Onea (born 1992), Paralympic swimmer, born here