Korneuburg in Lower Austria:
Historic Town within Reach from Vienna

Korneuburg is a town in Lower Austria, just north of Vienna – on the "transdanubian" side of the river, facing the similarly named Klosterneuburg. Korneuburg has a population of approximately 12,000 souls and is a county town (Bezirkshauptstadt). Whilst this adds some importance to Korneuburg as an administrative centre, the town is essentially a suburb of Vienna. A wealthy suburb, that is. Visitors of Vienna can see it from the Kahlenberg (if they climb the Elisabethwarte) and the Leopoldsberg.

Korneuburg is said to have a "Salesian" outlay. This refers mostly to the unusual central square of the town: Korneuburg is the only city in Austria with a rectangular "Ring Square", meaning that at the centre of the town square, you find a smaller rectangle of buildings. The inner cluster contains the Rathaus or City Hall. This array is typical for Salesia, anything but typical for Austria. At the main square, you will find all sorts of neat town houses with the usual picturesque facades. Beyond that, Korneuburg has a rather rural appearance, enhanced by the town′s suburbanisation of the last decades.

In terms of sightseeing attractions, Korneuburg has a few things to offer. Note for example the late-Gothic parish church St. Ägid. Or the Augustinerkirche, a church once associated with a monastery of Augustinian Hermits; it is furbished with artworks by the famous Baroque artist Franz Anton Maulbertsch. The city hall or Rathaus is a piece of neo-Gothic ugliness, but comes with a "real", late-Gothic tower. Another sight is the former synagogue in the Roßmühlgasse lane. It was originally built between 1306 and 1325. In 1420, it was confiscated and used for various purposes, for a while even as a storage room for wheat. Since 1980, the synagogue is listed, in the past few years various plans for reviving it as a synagogue have been proposed – so far, with no visual effect.

Further Sightseeing Attractions of Korneuburg

Note also the Rattenfängerbrunnen, a fountain carved into white calciferous stone from Kaisersteinbruch. It commemorates the liberation of Korneuburg from a Swedish siege in the late days of the 30-Years′-War, in 1646. The fountain was made in 1898 by Emanuel Pendel. Just north of Korneuburg, you will find the castle of Burg Kreuzenstein, one of the most popular day-trip destinations for Viennese families with children. But beware: Burg Kreuzenstein is fake! The castle was built by the Count Nepomuk Wilczek between 1874 and 1904 in a Disneyland-like manner, matching the nobility′s taste for tackiness and historicist. At least the stone that was used for Burg Kreuzenstein was originally part of a "real" Medieval castle. Alas, one that was blown up in the course of the 30-Years′-War in 1648.

Note that Korneuburg makes an easy day-trip from Vienna; however, there are other towns of similar of greater appeal within similarly easy reach from the capital. This is the main reason why Korneuburg is not touristy by any means and not very popular among international visitors.


Back to: "Lower Austria Sightseeing Guide"

Sightseeing by Austrian Province

Bregenz and Vorarlberg - Innsbruck and Tyrol - Salzburg - Salzkammergut - Graz and Styria - Klagenfurt and Carinthia - Wachau and Lower Austria - Vienna - Burgenland

Further Reading

Official Website of Lower Austria



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