Landesarchiv of Lower Austria and Lower Austrian Institute for Regional Studies

The archives of the Federal Land of Niederösterreich (NÖ) – Lower Austria – preserve the written documents of the NÖ provincial government and the NÖ regional diet and also those of their legal predecessors since the Late Middle Ages. It furthermore archives the papers of the Bezirkhauptmannschaften (district administrations) and the Lower Austrian courts of law. Over and above these, it includes many special collections, for instance the documents dating back to the High Middle Ages, numerous ruler archives, and left papers of important personalities. Use of the archives is free of charge. A visit to the Landesarchiv is a must for every citizen of the Federal Land who is interested in the regional, folk or family history. A specially qualified staff is at hand to provide information and advice; access to the archive contents is quick and unbureaucratic. The archives publish a magazine – “nöla” - Mitteilungen aus dem NÖ Landesarchiv” (information from the NÖ Landesarchiv); 13 volumes have appeared until now. Associated with the NÖ Landesarchiv is the Lower Austrian Institute for Regional Studies founded in 1978, which has the task of researching the historic and current development of the Federal Land and communicating its knowledge to the world at large. Thus the institute, in close cooperation with the NÖ Landesarchiv and the Association for the Regional Research of Lower Austria, organises research projects and puts on annual, publicly accessible symposiums of topics on regional studies. It supports in an advisory capacity regional studies associations and projects to foster local and regional studies, also exhibitions and research projects. One of its main task areas is the publication of the “Studien und Forschungen aus dem NÖ Institut für Landeskunde” (Studies and research from the NÖ Institue for Regional Studies), also special series such as “Wehrbauten und Adelssitze” (Fortresses and Aristocratic Family Seats) or “Archäologische Forschungen” (Archaeological Research).