Schrattenthal: History, Trails and Notable Buildings

Schrattenthal combines a distinctive town history with trails through forests, meadows, fields and vineyards. During your holiday, you can explore historic buildings, choose a family-friendly circular trail or plan a hike with scenic views. When looking for a holiday apartment or other accommodation, it helps to decide on your preferred focus first: culture and architectural history will take you to Schrattenthal, while your hiking plans can also include Waitzendorf.

Town History and Impressive Buildings

Schrattenthal was granted town status by Emperor Frederick III on 18 September 1472 and received a town coat of arms. The first printing press in Lower Austria was established here as early as 1501. These two dates give the town a special historical setting, which can be traced further on a tour of its various buildings.

Schrattenthal Castle includes a Late Gothic castle church, a Baroque granary and a medieval famine tower with a dungeon. The freestanding round tower has a diameter of 18.55 metres and walls 5.35 metres thick. Also noteworthy is the Late Gothic St Martin’s Castle Chapel, built in 1436/38 and classified as a fortified church because of its defensive features.

Further historic points of interest are located within the town: The parish church of Saint Augustine and Bernardino of Siena was built in the 15th century under Ulrich von Eitzing. The six-metre-high Marian column was erected in 1680 at the intersection of Hauptstraße and Kirchengasse in thanks for the end of the plague. The Renaissance pillory was erected in 1542 as a symbol of the old justice system and has stood there since 1960. Parts of the old Retz Gate, including a round gate tower, have also been preserved. The so-called Sheep Stable at Schrattenthal Castle dates from the late 15th century.

Hiking between Schrattenthal and Waitzendorf

The Urbanus Trail is a family-friendly circular trail connecting the sights of the municipality of Schrattenthal. It passes through Obermarkersdorf, Waitzendorf and the town of Schrattenthal. Along the way, it runs past meadows and fields and through forests and vineyards. This allows you to combine a historical focus with varied scenery.

Another option is the Marterl Trail in Waitzendorf. The trail follows paved paths and forest tracks to numerous historic wayside shrines and memorial sites steeped in history. At 14.2 kilometres, it is divided into three stages. Hikers can replenish their water supplies at the Kirchenplatz and the Johannesbrunnen.

The Europawarte Trail leads from Obermarkersdorf to Waitzendorf. The moderately difficult hike is 2.81 kilometres long, with 139 metres of elevation gain and 112 metres of descent. The St Benedict Europawarte lookout tower stands on the Schafberg near Waitzendorf at an elevation of 471 metres above sea level. The observation tower marks the boundary with the Waldviertel, offers views of the surrounding landscape and was erected in 1980 to commemorate the 1,500th anniversary of Saint Benedict.

Notable Landscapes to Include in Your Travel Plans

The castle park of Schrattenthal Castle contains a 3.5-hectare lavender field with more than 60,000 plants. The Kalvarienberg vineyard district offers another overview of the entire municipality of Schrattenthal. Depending on whether you prefer historical details, a family-friendly route, a longer multi-stage hike or a viewpoint, you can plan your holiday days in different ways.

The Right Accommodation for Your Stay

When choosing your holiday apartment in Schrattenthal, it is worth organising your planned activities before booking. Those who want to discover several buildings and learn about the town’s history should focus their search on Schrattenthal. For hikers, the trails and viewpoints near Waitzendorf should also be included in their travel plans.

You can find more local pages for your search at Mailberg, Großkadolz, Pernersdorf, Hohenwarth-Mühlbach am Manhartsberg, Glaubendorf, Braunsdorf and Platt.

For the higher-level travel overview: Hollabrunn.