Leoben, on a loop of the River Mur, is the headquarters of the iron working and lignite mining region of Upper Styria, with a Mining College. The core of the town is very historic. Beautifully situated at the foot of the Massenberg, a fortified settlement here was first mentioned in the records in 982 under the name of Liubina and in 1173 as a
market town. In 1263 King Ottokar PrÄemysl rebuilt the town by the bend in the river. In 1415 Leoben was granted trading rights in the iron trade. In 1939 Donawitz, Göss, Judendorf, Leitendorf and other places were all incorporated into the town.