Lower Austria State Archives Niederösterreichisches Landesarchiv

History and Founding

The Lower Austria State Archives (Niederösterreichisches Landesarchiv, NÖLA) is the provincial archive of the Federal State of Lower Austria (Niederösterreich), Austria. Historically, archival collections pertaining to Lower Austria were held in Vienna, which served as the capital of the province until 1922, when Vienna became a separate federal state. In the mid-1990s, a newly constructed building was completed in St. Pölten, the provincial capital, and the archives were formally transferred there. The NÖLA was established in its current form in its new St. Pölten premises on November 18, 1997. The archive also maintains a satellite depot in Bad Pirawarth.

Collections and Holdings

The NÖLA preserves the written records of Lower Austrian provincial government departments, administrative offices, and courts. Holdings span from medieval times to the present and include: estate archives, records of state administration and regional government, court and tax authority archives, archives of secular and ecclesiastical lordships, and records from the Chamber of Agriculture and district farmers' councils. The collection encompasses title deeds, manuscripts, and administrative records covering centuries of regional governance. The archives also hold materials relevant to Holocaust-era research, including Opferfürsorge files (victim welfare records) and property restitution materials.

Access and Usage

The NÖLA is open to researchers during published hours: Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday 8:30–15:30; Tuesday 8:30–18:00; Friday 8:30–12:00. An online finding aid (Findbuch) is available through the archive's website. Advance requests are recommended for accessing specific materials. The satellite depot in Bad Pirawarth holds district commissioner and district court records, including land registers.