Austria on your own to the Vienna Woods. A trip to the Vienna Woods (photo) - independently and with a guide. What to see in the Vienna Woods

The famous Strauss melody immediately appears on the ear as soon as the words “Tales of the Vienna Woods” are pronounced. But everything is so, because the Vienna Woods can be considered one of the main attractions of all of Austria, it is covered with a beautiful romantic aura. In their time, this wonderful corner was glorified by Franz Schubert and Strauss, Mozart and Beethoven in their immortal works. The Vienna Woods captivated with its charm not only poets, musicians and writers, but also royalty, who did not ignore it. The wife of Franz Joseph, the Empress of Austria, rested here from the bustle of the world, and the forest is also famous for the love tragedy of the heir to the throne Rudolf, as well as Maria Vechera, her beloved. And for more than a hundred years, all historians and curious people have been haunted by the mystery of who killed this pair of lovers, maybe Rudolf’s official wife or the prince himself, jealous of Maria, first took her life, and then himself. The secret has not been revealed to this day. The Vienna Woods might not have survived at all, since it was once sold to a timber merchant, this was back in the nineteenth century. The Austrian treasury was empty after the war with Prussia and needed to be replenished with something. The trees were not cut down thanks to one incident and also thanks to the assertiveness of the former officer Herr Schöffel. Yes, and at that time the press was working with a bang, he took advantage of this and launched a whole list of protests, founding the “Movement to Save the Vienna Woods.” It took two years of perseverance and struggle for the forest to be preserved to this day. On this moment The Viennese summer is more than a thousand years old, this is mentioned in one ancient charter, and this very charter is kept in the Knight's Library located in the Vienna Town Hall. Another interesting thing is that the combination of the words forest and wine here does not evoke emotion in anyone. Viticulture in these areas originated under the Roman legionnaires. Interesting wine centers can be visited in Perchtoldsdorf, Klosterneuburg, Bad Vöslau, Gumpoldskirchen and Baden. In each of these towns, gypsy violin or shramli music is heard in the cafes in the evenings, and visiting tourists feel as comfortable as the local regulars. The Vienna Woods is undoubtedly the pride of the Austrians and that's not all there is to tell about, it is also rich in historical attractions. Just ten kilometers from Vienna, on the picturesque hills in the northern part of the forest, there is a small, but no less beautiful city Pin Klosterneuburg. Among the attractions in the city, it is worth seeing the monastery of the Augustinian monks; it is the most popular in Europe, built nine hundred years ago. If art is closer to you, go see the ancient enamel Verdun altar kept in the temple. It was created in the twelfth century by the artist Nicolus Verdeni. In the southern part of the forest is the town of Mödling. This favorite place not only tourists of Vienna, but also the residents themselves, all thanks to architectural monuments, excellent wineries and restaurants, as well as picturesque views. On the hill rises majestically a turret belonging to ancient fortress Mödling. It is from here that you can admire the amazing panorama of the surrounding area and the city. There are a lot of legends here and this tower is no exception; they say that robbers from the highway that leads to Vienna once took refuge in it. But the emperor’s order to destroy the tower deprived them of a roof over their heads, and that’s how the issue of looting in this area was then resolved. On the outskirts of this town there is a cave lake with an area of ​​6200 square meters. In summer you can take a boat ride along it, and in winter you can hide from the cold, since the mine is always nine degrees warmer. It is noteworthy that the adits of this mine were used in the nineties as the setting of the Bastille for the Hollywood version of The Three Musketeers. The Vienna Woods is home to many interesting places, so in the town of Laxenburg, located on the outskirts of Vienna, it is worth visiting in the summer imperial palace- Blue yard. There is also the pseudo-Gothic Franzensburg Castle located right in the middle of the lake, Emperor Franz Joseph collected a rich collection of works of art here, and an English park is located nearby. The island can only be reached by ferry.

Having arrived in the foothills of the Vienna Woods, you can improve your health in the resort of Baden, here there are healing waters. The largest and oldest casino in Austria is also located here. Everything is located nearby, there are so many interesting, beautiful and educational things here. You can get to the forest from Vienna by metro by taking line U4 at the Heiligenstadt stop, then you should take bus number 38A, it passes right by all the observation platforms - Kahlenberg, Kobenzl and Leopoldsberg.

Tour of Austria by car or bus.

Duration at least..5 hours

This is a country excursion around Austria..

Not far from Vienna, by car (the first point is a 35-minute drive from Vienna and the subsequent ones are 15 minutes from each other).
This excursion involves both your relaxation and at the same time an equally fascinating journey into history, perhaps not as eventful as museums, but you must agree that a lot of useful and interesting things can be extracted from a small fragment of history....
  • Points to see: castle, underground lake, monastery and city of Baden..

Vienna Woods

One of our favorite excursions in Austria, which is popular both in winter and summer. The Vienna Woods, dear guests, is a huge forest area with villages, monasteries, and castles. The area of ​​this territory is 7401 hectares and the concept of how to go to the Vienna Woods, or how to get to the Vienna Woods, cannot even be explained in principle, this is a lot of transfers.. Of course, as an option, visiting one of the listed points.. But this is not enough! !

You so often ask me, what about the fairy tales of Strauss's Vienna Woods?

should disappoint you a little, but only a little, because indeed in all these towns around Vienna, in Baden, great composers, writers, playwrights, monarchs lived, and spent their holidays in the lap of wonderful nature. We drew inspiration here, created, wrote... so we can say - Tales of the Vienna Woods. And also dear tourists, the Vienna Woods and Klosterneuburg, the city of Mödling, Bad Voeslau, Perchtolsdorf, only some points are in a completely different direction and these are other excursions already!

ALL THIS, MY DEARS, IS THE VIENNA WOODS!

And as an option, visit the winemakers!!! The presence of hydrogen sulfide thermal springs in Baden offers an excellent opportunity for you to swim in the pool, sit in a small pool with thermal water and massage..(swimsuits available!).

Heiligenkreuz Monastery

A visit to the monks of a Benedictine-Cistercian monastery entails many questions, who are the Cistercians, these monks in black and white robes?? What is their purpose? We, dear friends, have a great opportunity to see not only one of the main centers of theology in Austria and the oldest Cistercian monasteries in Europe, but also to feel the spirit of the monastery!

See the unique stained glass windows of the thirteenth century, the Assembly Hall - a masterpiece of Romanesque art, where there are also burials of the Babenberg dynasty, thanks to which a large number of monasteries were founded in Austria, and walk through the cloister (a covered gallery inside the Romanesque and gothic styles, on one side of which there are halls and rooms, and on the other, a courtyard, the exit to the park is usually decorated with arcades) of the monastery - truly lovers of antiquity will find all this great pleasure.

Lichtenstein Castle

“I would really like to introduce you to people during this excursion, without whom this world would not be so beautiful and romantic. Master of Theology, caretaker of Liechtenstein Castle, LEOPOLD FASCHING, who invests his own funds in the reconstruction of the castle, thanks to which we can imagine what it really looked like many centuries ago. A man who, as a child, dreamed that someday this castle would come to life and the program and ideas of which would allow us, we hope, in the near future to plunge into the atmosphere and life of the Middle Ages." Internal inspection of the medieval ancestral castle of the princely family of Liechtenstein (WE CAN VISIT THIS CASTLE WITH YOU and WINTER!!) - this is the next most interesting moment of this excursion..

Underground lake Seegrotte

Boat ride on an underground lake, where there are absolutely no stalactites, stalagmites and stalagnates.. WHY?? And why is this underground lake so loved? What connects the gypsum mine and the Third Reich? In what conditions did the miners work and what does “The Three Musketeers” have to do with it again? Mayerling Inspection of Mayerling, oh!! This is a highlight, believe me... - the story of the tragedy of the suicide of Crown Prince Rudolf (heir to the throne, son of Empress Sissi, the “Bavarian Rose” and Franz Joseph, what was the cause of this terrible tragedy and was he another victim of that time or was he still born under a tragic and unlucky star??).

Baden

Well, the city of Baden with a walk through the center, composers and emperors loved it so much...!

The Vienna Woods is a huge forest area, in which there are well-kept towns, original winemaking villages, as well as numerous thermal springs. It is located in the vicinity of the Austrian capital (Vienna), in the foothills of the Alps. The Vienna Woods is a favorite and traditional holiday destination for the local population and guests of the beautiful Vienna.

The Vienna Woods is rightfully considered the “lungs” of Vienna. The boundaries of this vast territory are the Danube Valley, famous for its delightful vineyards, as well as resort towns Baden and Bad Vöslau. In addition to the breathtaking beauty of nature, vacationers will enjoy various thermal springs that do not need any advertising. Developed tourism infrastructure The Vienna Woods successfully harmonizes with the natural beauties and delights of nature. Hotels of all stripes and categories successfully coexist and develop in the Vienna Woods. All kinds of cafes and specialized resort areas are at your service.

The Vienna Woods are the waltzes of J. Strauss, traces of L. Beethoven and the legends of F. Schubert. This is Lichtenstein Castle, built at the beginning of the last millennium. This is a favorite place not only for curious and greedy tourists, but also local residents. The Vienna Woods amazes and delights again and again, the only problem may be the question - where to start exploring this natural attraction of Austria?

Our guide in Vienna reminds us that in the Forest there are a lot of observation platforms, by climbing onto which you can at least somewhat specifically decide on further route. However, the Baroque church, the Krapfenwald open-air swimming pool and the largest underground lake, Hintenbrühl, located 60 meters underground, which arose, however, not without the help of man, deserve the mandatory attention of tourists... By the way, tourists can take a boat ride on this lake . It is interesting to know that the lake is fed by seven underground springs, but it has no natural outflow. That is why about 50-60 thousand liters of water are pumped out from here every night in order to maintain the optimal level of 1.2 meters.

The richness of nature in the Vienna Woods is enormous! Here you can meet about 150 different species of birds, get acquainted with more than 2,000 species of plants and animals, including rare and endangered ones. And if you want to take a little break, then be sure to stop by one of the vineyards and taste natural, delicious wine in a warm and cozy village atmosphere.

During its existence, the Vienna Woods has been replenished with numerous walking and cycling routes that will delight you with their diversity.

It was in the Vienna Woods that Sigmund Freud discovered his secret of dreams. Kafka once walked leisurely here and Peter I stayed for four days.

But let's get back to what really deserves attention.

The Heiligenkreuz Abbey with its Cistercian monastery is also of great interest. It was named after the first monastery of the order - Cistercium. When entering the monastery, a hill with a colorful staircase attracts attention. The name of this original beauty is Golgotha!

And just imagine that the beauty of the Vienna Woods might not have survived to this day! The fact is that in the 19th century it was planned to sell the Forest to a logger to pay off a military debt. But the hype that began and rapidly developed about this saved the Forest.

In general, the Vienna Woods - amazing place, which is worth visiting if possible or at least once in your life!

Today the subject of our story will be the famous Vienna Woods. Austria is literally unthinkable without this beautiful green corner located in its capital. In 2005, UNESCO assigned the status of a biosphere park to the Vienna Woods as an area with special cultural heritage and a unique natural landscape. If you are lucky enough to get to Austria, be sure to visit this place. It is not at all necessary to run around local attractions; you can simply sunbathe on the lawn or admire the magnificent views from the observation decks.

Vienna Woods: photos, description

The Biosphere Park, which covers an area of ​​9,900 hectares, is located right in the region. It covers the territory of seven administrative districts Vienna. The main goal of the park is the development of the region. The Vienna Woods in Vienna is inhabited big amount animals and birds. More than two hundred species of various plants are found on its territory. As for the inhabitants of the local fauna, many of them are very rare and are on the verge of extinction. So, a few years ago, local zoologists managed to breed again. And after three years, in 2011, for the first time in the last half century, the offspring of these animals were obtained in the Vienna Woods. Also among the representatives of the local fauna, one can distinguish the emerald lizard, which is on the verge of extinction.

In total, the Vienna Woods includes four natural park and fifteen nature reserves. Its landscape consists of meadows, fields, forests, pastures and vineyards. The wine-growing areas have, for the most part, retained their inherent rustic character: every guest of the park can spend time eating national cuisine and delicious wine in a cozy wine bar or on a shady garden terrace.

How to get there

Despite the fact that an excursion to the Vienna Woods is one of the most popular among guests of the Austrian capital and is offered by absolutely all tour operators and agencies, you can visit this attraction on your own. Moreover, getting to the biosphere park is not at all difficult: first you need to take the metro (line U4, stop Heiligenstadt), and then bus number 38A, the route of which passes by the main observation platforms - Leopoldsberg, Kahlenberg and Kobenzl.

What to see in the Vienna Woods

As a rule, excursions to the biosphere park of the Austrian capital include visits to the following attractions: the Liechtenstein fortress, the Seegrote underground lake, the Monastery of the Holy Cross, the hunting lodge of the Mayerling emperors and the resort of Baden. We invite you to learn more about each of them.

Liechtenstein Fortress

Liechtensteinburg, located on the southern edge of the Vienna Woods, is the ancestral castle of the princes of Liechtenstein. It is not a museum in the traditional sense of the word, but this place has rich history. The Liechtenstein family restored the ancestral castle in the 19th century, and to this day it is their property. During the 12th and 13th centuries, the fortress was used as a temporary residence for representatives of this ancient family. Thus, Liechtensteinburg today preserves almost a thousand years of history of the family of its founders. The castle was built in the Romanesque style, the chambers are furnished with antique furniture, and also decorated with bas-reliefs and weapons. From the Liechtensteinburg Tower one of the beautiful views to the Austrian capital. This most picturesque place has long inspired creative people. Movies were even filmed here: the Hollywood “The Three Musketeers” and the Austrian “Commissioner Rex”.

Underground lake Zeergrote

The Vienna Woods has the largest underground lake in all of Europe. Its area is 6200 square meters. In the middle of the 19th century, a large deposit of gypsum was discovered on a local hill, which began to be actively developed. However, due to the flooding of underground waters in the mines in 1912, work was stopped forever. After 20 years, it was decided to open the flooded adits for boat trips, which are still held here today. Interestingly, during World War II, military aircraft were produced in the mine, which was protected from air raids.

Monastery of the Holy Cross

The Heiligenkreuz Monastery (translated as Holy Cross) is often called mystical center Vienna Woods. It is the oldest Cistercian monastery in the world. It is also interesting that since its opening it has never stopped its activities. So, starting back in 1133, novices have held divine services seven times a day. The Vienna Woods is considered one of the most important burial sites in all of Austria. Thus, in the Assembly Hall of the Monastery of the Holy Cross, four rulers of the oldest ruling dynasty in the country - the Babenbergs - are buried. Also kept in Heiligenkreuz is a very revered relic - a piece of the Holy Cross.

Hunting lodge of the Mayerling emperors

This place became notorious after the double suicide committed there - of the Austro-Hungarian Crown Prince Rudolf and his lady love, Baroness Maria von Vecher. Previously, Mayerling Castle, built in 1550, belonged to the Heiligenkreuz monastery. But in late XIX century it is acquired and the castle becomes the hunting house of the Habsburgs.

Vienna Woods. Resort Baden

Once upon a time this place was summer residence Kaiser. Today, Baden invites everyone to visit the healing centers located on its territory. First-class hotels, rich The cultural program and the opportunity to enjoy excellent wines from local grape varieties.

It’s not for nothing that the Vienna Woods is called “the lungs of Vienna.” He borrows 135 thousand. hectares of area in the immediate vicinity of the capital of Austria. This predominantly beech and oak grove has been recognized by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve.

But the Vienna Woods is famous not only for its trees. These are priceless historical, cultural, natural treasures, all kinds of legends and fairy tales, celebrities and historical figures who created the tales of the Vienna Woods. Some of them date back more than a millennium.

True, there were difficult times in the history of the Vienna Woods. So, after several devastating wars with Prussia in the mid-19th century, the Austrian treasury decided to improve its financial affairs by selling a quarter of all areas to the timber merchant Hirschl Moritz.

He, of course, immediately began to knock him out. This outraged the people. Former imperial army officer Joseph Schöffel managed to raise a wave of popular indignation through newspapers and, after two years of struggle, achieved the cancellation of this monstrous deal.

In 1873, the Vienna Woods was saved, and Schöffel himself made a remarkable career, first becoming a member of the Imperial Council, and from 1873 to 1882, the mayor of the town of Modling, located in the southern part of the Forest.

This town is famous for the wonderful views from its hills and observation deck on the tower of the ancient fortress of Mödling.

At one time, the fortress became a shelter for forest robbers. But by order of the emperor it was destroyed, thereby putting an end to robberies on local roads. Only the observation tower remains.

In addition, there are wonderful cafes and wine cellars where you can sit in the shade and coolness with a glass of local wine made from grapes grown in vineyards in the Vienna region.

The production of local wine has been known since the times of the ancient Romans. Wonderful wine is produced in the towns of Klosterneuburg, Perchtoldsdorf, Gumpoldskirchen, Bad Voeslau and Baden.

There are also many cozy restaurants and cafes where you can listen to live music while drinking light white wine.

Having driven just 10 km from Vienna, we find ourselves in the small ancient town of Stift Klosterneuburg, located in the northern part of the Forest.

If you wish, you can not only wander through the ancient streets and squares, but also visit the most famous Augustinian monastery, which was built more than 9 centuries ago.

Particularly impressive is the ancient Verdun altar, made using the enamel technique. It was created back in the 12th century by a real master, Nikolus Verdeni.

Or you might find yourself near a small medieval castle, built in the first half of the 12th century by Hugo von Lichtenstein, who later became the founder of the famous dynasty. The castle, which received its name from the name of the builder, became not only the residence of this dynasty, but also the beginning of the Principality of Liechtenstein.

The Turkish wars did not bypass this castle. He stood as an impregnable stronghold on the path of the Ottomans. It was destroyed more than once and restored again. But after 1683 the castle remained in ruins.

Only at the very beginning of the 19th century, Prince Johann Joseph von Liechtenstein bought these ruins and restored them old lock. Second World War caused damage to the fortress, but gradually the castle was restored. And since 2007, it is again owned by the Principality of Liechtenstein.

On the outskirts of the town of Hinterbrühl is the largest underground cave lake in Europe, Seegrotte. The area of ​​the lake is 6.2 thousand. sq. m.

It was formed in 1912 as a result of water breaking into the mines. Tens of thousands of tons of it poured under the arches of the cave. Dozens of miners who extracted gypsum here became victims of the elements.

After 6 years, the cave was bought by a Viennese entrepreneur, but his projects to organize a water park or grow mushrooms did not bring profit. Only electricity, which they were able to install in the 30s of the last century, made it possible to use an electric robot and organize excursions to the caves.

The Nazis, having captured Austria, were able to pump out water from the caves, concrete them and organize the production of aircraft engines for Heinkel in underground shelters. More than 170 prisoners of the Mauthausen concentration camp worked at the company.

Running away, the Nazis blew up the cave, but the damage was insignificant. Already in 1949, new excursions around the cave lake began.

When going on this excursion, be sure to dress warmly. In the underground grotto the temperature is always +90C.

You can ride a boat under overhanging arches and beautiful grottoes, which are especially impressive to the sounds of enchanting music and in the rays of special lighting. You can visit the underground lake at any time of the year.

While making excursions to the Vienna Woods, you can visit several more ancient monasteries. For example, Heiligenkreuz. This monastery was founded at the beginning of the 12th century by Saint Leopold III. Soon the Cistercian order became one of the most influential in Europe.

Part IV of the crucifixion of Christ, handed over by King Baldwin of Jerusalem at the end of the 12th century, is kept here.

But, starting from the 16th century, misfortunes and troubles began to haunt the Heiligenkreuz monastery. Epidemics of smallpox, cholera, plague and other deadly diseases that swept across Europe, endless fires that blazed every now and then, wiped out the inhabitants of the continent and undermined the power of the order.

And in 1683 the monastery was burned to the ground by troops Ottoman Empire. But the hardworking monks, with God's help, restored and expanded their monastery.

Many secrets of legends and fairy tales shroud the Vienna Woods. Until now, no one knows exactly why he shot his beloved and the heir to the throne himself shot himself. Austro-Hungarian Empire Crown Prince Rudolf. Now a church has been built on the site of the hunting lodge, which was ordered to be demolished by his father Franz Joseph I.

Excursions to the Vienna Woods

You can take part in a multi-hour bus tour of the Vienna Woods through travel companies that organize such tours (including with a Russian-speaking guide). Their cost will be about 60 - 80 euros per person. Individual tours will be 2−3− times more expensive.

How to get to the Vienna Woods from Vienna

But you can choose your own travel route. Having taken the metro line U4 to the Heiligenstadt stop, we change to bus route 38A and go to the Vienna Woods.

Depending on your wishes, you can get off at the Am Cobenzl stop and go to observation tower Hermannskogel. And if you pass another stop, then further on foot along Krapfenwaldlgasse street you will come to the ancient swimming pool of the same name.

Open on weekdays 9:00–20:00, Sat. — Sun. 8:00−20:00. Entrance - 4 EUR, for children under 15 years old - 1.50 EUR.

Further along the route is the town of Kahlenberg. Visit the Polish Church, Stephaniewarte Tower, Josefinenhutte or Sirbu Tavern for amazing views of the city.

When you reach Klosterneuburg, you can visit the Baroque monastery and admire the largest collection of modern art. By transferring here to bus route 38A, which goes further, and not to Vienna (runs in 30 minutes), you can see the Baroque church on Mount Leopoldsberg, the remains of a fortress, a cafe and a wonderful view.

 

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