Austria, Wolfsthal: Town on Borderline – VIDEO

We know from history that Wolfsthal suffered not only during the Turkish invasions in 1529 and 1618, but also during the French campaign in 1805 and the plague epidemics. The local inhabitants also contributed to the construction of the so-called Prešporská railway in 1911, but over the years they have mainly been engaged in agriculture, vineyard cultivation and the production of fine wines, as well as sheep and cattle breeding.

Situated in the easternmost tip of Lower Austria, a few kilometres from the town of Hainburg an der Donau, the village shares with Berg a spur of the Hainburg Mountains, the Koenigswarte, where the local lookout tower with a spectacular view is located.

Interestingly, in the 20th century it was annexed together with Berg to Petržalka, in 1972 it was merged into one municipality Wolfsthal-Berg and in 1996 it became independent again. Due to the proximity of the village to the city of Bratislava, it became a popular place for Slovaks to live. They are already a significant minority here (like in Berg or Kittsee), so don't be surprised to encounter Slovak speakers on every corner.

The village has excellent transport accessibility to the city of Bratislava, supported by an international bus line (line 901), so the daily commute to work is easy. This advantage will certainly be appreciated by tourists as well. In the future, it is planned to connect the municipality to the cross-border suburban rail network, as today the terminus of the local railway from Vienna is located here. 

As far as monuments are concerned, perhaps the most important is the neo-Gothic castle (Schloss Walterskirchen) with a park owned by the Walterskirchen family. Originally there was a water castle, the fortifications of which were demolished in 1790, but it is gradually being restored. Unfortunately, this landmark is not open to the public. 

Another gem of the village is the pilgrimage church "Maria am Birnbaum". Originally a Romanesque single-nave sacral building, it was enlarged and rebuilt in Baroque style in the 18th century. Around the church you can find a rare statue of St. Johann of Nepomuk from 1735, a statue of St. Florian from 1780, as well as a war memorial from 1921. Also remarkable is the statue of the "Immaculate Conception", which depicts St. Mary with her child on a column from 1680.

When wandering around the village, you will also find St. George's Column, St. Leonhard's Column, the Holy Trinity Column and the Pranier right on the B9, in front of the house, Hauptstraße 34. At the end of the Wolfsthal is located the St. Mary's Church with the year of construction 1795 and restoration 1950.

The Karel Knaus Park is also an ornament of the village and is a popular resting place for tourists. The ruins of Pottenburg Castle are also located in the Wolfsthal area. The Danube Cycle Route and the proximity of the Donau-Auen National Park or the rich gastronomic offer in the local wine bars and traditional businesses make it a popular starting point for hiking and cycling.

The village with great potential for development is an example of cooperation between two countries that has been awarded by European institutions, so it is definitely worth a visit to discover its sights, friendly atmosphere and beautiful nature in the surroundings.

GPS: 48°08'11.7"N 17°00'26.1"E

Text, photos, and video: Pavol Jemala, Slovensko zdola

Music: Pixabay.com; Krainer Waltz Traditional Austrian and Slovenian Music - 3358