railway junction into an economically active town. Today Gloggnitz can be proud of several internationally active companies, employing hundreds of people. History The place name "Gloggnitz" descends from the Slavic word "Klokati", which means "bubble" or "murmur", and was first mentioned in 1094. "Clocniza" or "Glocniza" means "Murmuring River". Monks from the Bavarian monastery of Formbach built a hermitage near the River Schwarza. This led to the establishment of a provostry for Gloggnitz. In the 15th century the monks and local inhabitants were active farmers, craftsmen, and wine makers. Later climate changes made the conditions for winemaking less favourable and as a consequence unprofitable. For over 900 years (until the 19th century) the economic and social life of Gloggnitz and its local area was highly influenced and controlled by the monasterial lords of the manor. The town's favourable position on the strategic arterial route from Lower Austria to Italy encouraged colonisation and the small village of Gloggnitz grew. Gloggnitz also achieved the distinction of being able to hold its own market. In 1660 Emperor Leopold I visited Gloggnitz. When the French conqueror Napoleon Bonaparte travelled south across the Semmering Pass in 1809, he also made a short overnight stay in Gloggnitz. On 17 August 1841 Emperor Ferdinand I opened the new Semmering Pass Road. Other visits by famous persons to Gloggnitz include: Emperor Francis Joseph I (1850 and 1854), Crown Prince Rudolph and his wife Princess Gisela (1862). Tourism The building of the Semmering Railway encouraged further progress. On 5 May 1842, the first train on the "Südbahn" arrived in Gloggnitz. In its earliest years the railway opened up the mountain scenery to the people of Vienna. Thousands of tourists visited Gloggnitz and went hiking around Vienna's so-called "Home Mountains", Mount Rax and Mount Schneeberg. In 1854 the railway passage over Semmering was established. The number of Gloggnitz houses and citizens increased steadily between 1796 and 1836. Prior to the arrival of the railway, the town had a rate of growth of 11% in buildings and 14% in population. Between 1836 and 1876 the rate of new building rose to 142% and there was a huge 284% rise in the local population. Gloggnitz was granted town status on 5 May 1926. On 2 January 1927 Federal President Dr Michael Hainisch, Federal Chancellor Dr Ignaz Seipel and the then former Chancellor of State Dr Karl Renner addressed a big audience when