“More than three decades ago, the people of Lower Austria decided that St. Pölten would no longer be their capital, but rather Vienna. And yet you Viennese have always remained – geographically and emotionally – in the heart of Lower Austria,” said Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner this Saturday evening at the ceremonial handover and illumination of the Christmas tree on Vienna’s Rathausplatz, symbolizing the close ties between the two federal states the almost 30 meter high spruce tree from Rastenfeld, which adorns the Christmas market this year.
The governor emphasized that Vienna did not hesitate for a second during the flood disaster and helped Lower Austria in its greatest need, even though they themselves were affected. She also mentioned the joint efforts in the economy, in the health sector and in tourism. “But this togetherness is most clearly shown in this Christmas tree: with this tree, Lower Austria makes the federal capital shine. This tradition shows that together we can achieve the most beautiful things. There is a good neighborhood between Vienna and Lower Austria,” the state governor continued. She particularly thanked the Rastenfelder delegation and the Waldhausen music band.
Vienna’s mayor Michael Ludwig emphasized that Advent is a time of reflection and that this is particularly important in times of crises and challenges: “This tree is a sign and symbol of the good cooperation between Vienna and Lower Austria and the communities,” said he. Vienna also consistently achieves top positions in international rankings, “just recently the Christmas market on Rathausplatz was named one of the most beautiful markets in the world,” he said and thanked Rastenfeld’s mayor Wandl “very warmly for this very, very beautiful tree . It’s a beautiful symbol of collaboration.”
99 exhibitors and companies, many of them from Lower Austria, present themselves around the Christmas tree with delicacies and handicrafts. There was also a lot of interest at the NÖ advertising stand, where many people secured a Christmas present with the NÖ card. The Waldhausen Community Music Band and the Vienna Guard Music provided the music for the celebration.
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