Wels, a town of Austria, in Upper Austria, 17 m. S.S.W. of Linz by rail. Pop. (1900) 12,187. It is situated on the river Traun and possesses an interesting parish church, in Gothic style, rebuilt in the 15th century, but the oldest part supposed to date from the 9th century. The town draws a supply of natural gas, used for lighting, heat and motive power, from deep artesian borings first made in 1891. It has an important trade in corn, timber, horned cattle, pigs and horses, fowls, dairy produce and lard; and considerable manufactures, including machinery, cast-iron, copper and brass goods, calico, gunpowder, oil, paper, articles in felt, flour, leather and biscuits. Weis stands on the site of the Roman Ovilaba, and was in the 8th century the residence 'of the dukes of Lambach-Wels. The actual town dates from the i ith century.
Wels
