Wels Old Town

The area south of the Wels’ town square between the Traungasse and the castle of Wels is not, as is often assumed, the starting point of medieval urban development. It was only gradually developed. In the 15th and 16th century, it was called "Unterstetten" or "Hinterstetten", meaning below or behind town. After that, they built brick buildings instead of the wooden barns that used to be there. These houses with small, man-made lighthouses and mostly plain facades are still visible in the todays Altstadt (Old Town) Wels. Ever since the 19th century, this area is called “Altstadt” of Wels.