Geography Of Perchtoldsdorf
Perchtoldsdorf lies in eastern Lower Austria, in the flat, rich plain known as the Vienna Basin, which stretches from the Alps to the Carpathians. Perchtoldsdorf covers 12.6 square kilometers and rises on average 265 meters above sea level. The town is surrounded to the north by Vienna; from the east by Brunn am Gebirge; from the south by Mödling; from the west by the Föhrenberge nature park. Rising 542 meters above sea level, the Teufelstein rock formation in Föhrenberge Park is the highest point in Perchtoldsdorf. The lowest point is the Schwechat River, which rises 220 meters above sea level and flows east through Perchtoldsdorf.
Location
Located approximately 16 kilometers (9.9 miles) southwest of the city center, Perchtoldsdorf lies on the southern edge of the Vienna metropolitan area. In 2012, it had an area of 14.71 square kilometers (5.68 sq mi) and a population of 14,614.
Perchtoldsdorf lies at the eastern edge of the Vienna Woods (Wienerwald), a mountain range included in the Northern Limestone Alps. With coordinates 48.11935° N and 16.26607° E, the city rises 220 to 520 meters (720 to 1,710 ft) above sea level.
Perchtoldsdorf is bordered to the north by Vienna; from the east by Brunn am Gebirge and Maria Enzersdorf; from the south by Mödling and Hinterbrühl; from the west via Gaaden and Gießhübl.
Terrain and Topography
Although Perchtoldsdorf has some level areas in the north and east, its topography is essentially mountainous and forested. The town is on a plateau that progressively slants towards the Vienna Basin, a great depression covering most of northeastern Austria. The highest point in the town, the Heuberg hill offers broad views of the surrounding area at 520 meters (1,710 feet) above sea level.
Mountain Ranges
The Vienna Woods, which extend from the Danube to the Triesting River for approximately 45 km (28 mi), constitute the most important mountain range near Perchtoldsdorf. Comprising Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Slovenia, the geological formation known as the Northern Limestone Alps includes the Vienna Woods. The rich natural and cultural heritage makes the Vienna Woods a biosphere reserve identified by UNESCO.
Prominent mountain peaks near Perchtoldsdorf include:
- Anninger (675 metres or 2,215 ft): Located south of Mödling, Anninger (675 meters or 2,215 feet) is the highest point in the eastern part of the Vienna Woods. Featuring a restaurant and a viewing tower at the top, it’s a popular spot with hikers and cyclists.
- Kahlenberg (484 metres or 1,588 ft): Rising north of Perchtoldsdorf in the western part of the Vienna Woods, Kahlenberg (484 meters or 1,588 feet) is a hill. It is a historic site since it was the scene of the major conflict between Christian forces and the Ottoman Turks in 1683. It also offers a beautiful perspective of Vienna and the Danube valley.
- Leopoldsberg (425 metres or 1,394 ft): Leopoldsberg (425 meters or 1,394 feet), a hill next to the Kahlenberg named Saint Leopold, the patron saint of Austria. Picnics and weddings take place here, and the castle and church at the top are popular sites.
Notable Summits
Among the most important peaks in the region are:
- Wehrturm (60 metres or 200 ft): Perchtoldsdorf’s central square is home to the 60-meter (200-foot) Wehrturm, an iconic tower house in the city. Built between 1450 and 1521, it served as a defensive construction and watchtower. The public can visit it; it includes a museum and a gallery.
- Burg Perchtoldsdorf (40 metres or 130 ft): In the 11th century castle known as Burg Perchtoldsdorf (40 meters or 130 feet) lived the lords of Perchtoldsdorf and the widows of the Habsburg dukes. Today used as a cultural and event venue, it houses a courtyard, a chapel and a wine cellar.
- Pfarrkirche St. Augustin (30 metres or 98 ft): Founded in 1407 by Duchess Beatrice of Hohenzollern, widow of the Austrian Duke Albert III, the Pfarrkirche Saint-Augustin is a parish church measuring thirty meters or 98 feet. Including several antiques and works of art, this Gothic building has a Baroque facade.
Valleys and Basins
The main valley near Perchtoldsdorf is the Vienna Basin, approximately 9,000 square kilometers (3,500 square miles) bordered by the Bohemian massif, the Carpathians and the Alps. During the Miocene, approximately 23 to 5 million years ago, the Earth’s crust began to collapse, producing the Vienna Basin, a sedimentary basin. Made up of layers of coal, sand, gravel and clay, it is a source of natural gas and oil.
Some of the prominent valleys in the region are:
- Liesingtal (Liesing Valley): A tributary of the Danube, the Liesing River flows through the valley known as the Liesingtal or Liesing Valley. Separating Vienna from Lower Austria, this highly industrialized and populated area includes among its many parks and green spaces Schlosspark Liesing and Kurpark Oberlaa.
- Mödlingbach (Mödling Creek): Before flowing into the Liesing River near Perchtoldsdorf, the stream known as Mödlingbach, sometimes called Mödling Stream, flows through Brunn am Gebirge, Maria Enzersdorf and Mödling. Two of the many attractions of this scenic and recreational region are the former gypsum mine, now an underground lake, and the medieval Burg Liechtenstein Castle, ancestral seat of the Liechtenstein family.
- Schwechatbach (Schwechat Creek): Rising in the Vienna Woods, the Schwechatbach, also known as the Schwechat Stream, flows through the towns of Rodaun, Kaltenleutgeben and Gießhübl before emphasizing the Schwechat River near Vienna. Natural and cultural, this area is home to several notable sites along the route, including the Cistercian monastery of Heiligenkreuz Abbey, founded in 1133, and the famous Kaltenleutgebner See swimming lake.
Bodies of Water
Lakes
Some of the lakes in the vicinity of Perchtoldsdorf are:
- Neusiedler See (Lake Neusiedl): About 60 kilometers (37 miles) southeast of Perchtoldsdorf on the Austro-Hungarian border is the large and shallow Lake Neusiedler See (also known as Lake Neusiedl). Being the largest endorheic lake in Central Europe, evaporation instead of an outlet keeps its water level constant. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a biodiversity hotspot with nearly 2,000 species of plants and more than 300 species of birds.
- Kaltenleutgebner See (Lake Kaltenleutgeben): Kaltenleutgeben, with the small artificial lake known as Kaltenleutgebner See, lies about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) southwest of Perchtoldsdorf. Designed by damming the Schwechat Creek in 1895, it is a place for swimming, boating and fishing.
- Seegrotte (Lake Grotto): About 8 kilometers (5.0 miles) south of Perchtoldsdorf, the Seegrotte, sometimes known as the Lake Cave, is an underground lake located in the town of Hinterbrühl. The largest underground lake in Europe, it has an area of 6,200 square meters (67,000 square feet) and a depth of 12 meters (39 feet). It was developed following the flooding of a former gypsum mine and offers boat tours and a museum as tourist attractions.
Rivers and Streams
Some of the rivers and streams in the vicinity of Perchtoldsdorf are:
- Danube (Donau): The Danube (Donau), the second longest river in Europe, is the main river flowing through the region. Rising in the German Black Forest, it passes through ten countries before emptying into the Black Sea. Along its banks are Schönbrunn Palace, Belvedere Palace and the Vienna State Opera, as well as Bratislava Castle, Devin Castle and St. Martin’s Cathedral in Bratislava. For the region, the river provides essential supplies of water, energy, transport and tourism.
- Liesing (Liesingbach): A tributary of the Danube, the Liesing (Liesingbach) extends from the south of Vienna to the north of Lower Austria. It flows into the Danube near Schwechat from the Vienna Woods near Alland. Separating Vienna from Lower Austria, this highly industrialized and populated area includes among its many parks and green spaces Schlosspark Liesing and Kurpark Oberlaa.
- Mödling (Mödlingbach): Mödlingbach, a tributary of the Liesing, passes through Mödling, Brunn am Gebirge, Maria Enzersdorf. He eventually reached Liesing, near Perchtoldsdorf, after starting in the Viennese forest near Heiligenkreutz. Two of the many attractions of this scenic and recreational region are the former gypsum mine, now an underground lake, and the medieval castle and ancestral seat of the Liechtenstein family.
- Schwechat (Schwechatbach): Originally a tributary of the Danube, the Schwechat (Schwechatbach) passes through Gießhübl, Kaltenleutgeben and Rodaun before emptying near Vienna. Starting from Gaaden, in the Viennese forest, it winds through the Schwechat valley. Natural and cultural, this region is home to several famous sites along the route, including the famous Kaltenleutgebner See swimming lake and the Cistercian monastery founded in 1133, Heiligenkreuz Abbey.
Scenic Views
Some of the scenic views in the area include:
- Heuberg: A hill offering a wide view of the city, the Viennese basin and the Viennese forest gives Perchtoldsdorf, Heuberg, its highest point. As well as being a popular place for paragliding, cycling and hiking, it has a summit playground and restaurant.
- Kahlenberg and Leopoldsberg: From the peaks of Kahlenberg and Leopoldsberg, two hills in the western part of the Viennese Forest, Vienna and the Danube Valley, are wonderfully seen. These are historical and cultural sites including a castle, a church, an observation tower and a monument at the top of each.
- Anninger: The highest point in the eastern part of the Viennese Forest is Anninger, which offers a beautiful perspective of the surrounding mountains and valleys. Featuring a restaurant and a viewing tower at the top, it’s a popular spot with cyclists and hikers.
