Schärding

is a town in northern Austrian state of Upper Austria, the capital of the district of the same name, and a major port on the Inn River. Historically, it was owned by the Wittelsbach family, which reflects in the town's architecture.As of 1 January 2014, it had a population of 4,874.History and featuresThe Bavarian family Wittelsbach owned the town until 1779. Eyewitness Travel Austria guide describes Schärding's best feature is its central square, the north end of which sits the Silbezeile row of gabled-roof houses. Other features include the large Church of St. George. The castle is gone but in its gateway there is a local museum with religious sculptures and those by Johann Peter Schwanthaler.GeographyThe town sits at an altitude of 313 meters in height in Innviertel. It measures 4.1 kilometers from north to south, 1.9 km from west to east. The total area is 4.08 km². 2.4 percent of the area is forested, 31.7 percent are used for agriculture.The Inn River forms the border with the neighboring German state of Bavaria. Directly opposite the town on the Bavarian side of the river is Neuhaus am Inn, which is accessible via two bridges.HistoryThe area around the current town has been inhabited since the Neolithic period. In 15 B.C., the Romans were advancing to the Danube and the Innviertel and Schärding a part of the Roman province of Noricum was populated by Celts in the area. Around 488, King Odoacer withdrew its troops to the south. West Germanic Bavarians migrated about 30 years later up the Danube and occupied the area between the Vienna Woods and Lech. Place names ending in -ing, -ham and -heim clearly indicate the change of hands. The name of the district capital Scardinga came from the name given to the settlement by a man named Skardo and his family.