Geography Of Wiener Neustadt

Wiener Neustadt is situated in the eastern part of Lower Austria, near the border with the state of Burgenland. It lies on the Leitha River, a tributary of the Danube, and is surrounded by the Vienna Basin, a lowland area that extends from the Alps to the Carpathians.

Wiener Neustadt has a latitude of 47.8° N and a longitude of 16.25° E. It has an elevation of 268 m above sea level. The city is located in the Central European Time Zone (UTC+01:00) and observes daylight saving time from March to October.

Wiener Neustadt borders the following districts and municipalities:

To the north: Baden District and Mödling District
To the east: Eisenstadt-Umgebung District and Mattersburg District (both in Burgenland)
To the south: Oberwart District and Güssing District (both in Burgenland)
To the west: Neunkirchen District

Wiener Neustadt can be accessed by various modes of transportation, such as:

Road: The city is connected to the A2 motorway, which runs from Vienna to Graz, and the S4 expressway, which links Wiener Neustadt with Mattersburg and Eisenstadt. Several federal roads also pass through or near the city, such as B17, B21, B26, B53, and B54.
Rail: Wiener Neustadt is a major railway junction, with several lines converging at the Wiener Neustadt Hauptbahnhof (main station). The city is served by regional and long-distance trains, as well as the S-Bahn commuter network. Some of the destinations that can be reached by train from Wiener Neustadt include Vienna, Graz, Salzburg, Linz, Innsbruck, Bratislava, Budapest, and Zagreb.
Air: Wiener Neustadt has two airports: the Wiener Neustadt East Airport, which is mainly used for general aviation and military purposes, and the Wiener Neustadt West Airport, which is a civil airport that hosts the Diamond Aircraft Industries, a manufacturer of light aircraft. The nearest international airport is the Vienna International Airport, about 60 km away.
Bike: Wiener Neustadt is part of the EuroVelo 9, a long-distance cycling route that runs from Gdańsk in Poland to Pula in Croatia. The city also has a network of bike paths and lanes that connect various points of interest.

Terrain and Topography

Wiener Neustadt has a mostly flat terrain, with some gentle hills and slopes. The highest point in the city is the Anninger, a hill that rises to 675 m and is part of the Vienna Woods, a forested mountain range that extends into Lower Austria. The lowest point in the city is the Leitha River, which flows at 250 m.

Mountain Ranges

Terrain and Topography

Wiener Neustadt is located near the eastern edge of the Alps, a vast mountain system that covers much of Central and Southern Europe. The city is close to two sub-ranges of the Alps: the Vienna Woods and the Bucklige Welt.

The Vienna Woods are a low mountain range that forms the northeastern foothills of the Alps. They span from the Danube River in the north to the Wiener Neustadt Basin in the south, and from the Triesting Valley in the west to the Leitha Mountains in the east. The Vienna Woods are known for their scenic landscapes, rich biodiversity, and cultural heritage. They are a popular destination for hiking, biking, and sightseeing.
The Bucklige Welt is a hilly region that lies south of the Wiener Neustadt Basin and west of the Leitha Mountains. It is part of the Eastern Alps and is characterized by rolling hills, meadows, forests, and farms. The Bucklige Welt is sometimes called the “Land of a Thousand Hills” because of its undulating topography. It is a rural area that offers many opportunities for outdoor recreation and relaxation.

Key Mountain Peaks

Terrain and Topography

Some of the key mountain peaks that can be seen from Wiener Neustadt or are within easy reach of the city are:

Schneeberg: The highest mountain in Lower Austria and the easternmost peak of the Alps that exceeds 2,000 m. It has a height of 2,076 m and is located about 40 km southwest of Wiener Neustadt. It is a popular destination for skiing, hiking, and climbing, and is home to the Schneeberg Railway, the highest standard-gauge railway in Europe.
Rax: A mountain range that lies south of the Schneeberg and has a highest point of 2,007 m. It is composed of limestone and dolomite rocks and has a distinctive plateau-like shape. It is a favorite spot for mountaineers, hikers, and nature lovers, and is accessible by the Rax Cable Car, the oldest aerial tramway in Austria.
Hohe Wand: A mountain ridge that rises to 1,132 m and is situated about 15 km west of Wiener Neustadt. It is part of the Gutenstein Alps, a sub-range of the Northern Limestone Alps. It is a nature reserve that hosts a variety of flora and fauna, as well as several attractions, such as the Skywalk, a viewing platform that offers panoramic views of the surrounding area, and the Wildpark, a wildlife park that features native and exotic animals.

Notable Summits

Terrain and Topography

Some of the notable summits that can be found in or near Wiener Neustadt are:

Anninger: The highest point in the city and the Vienna Woods, with a height of 675 m. It is located in the northern part of Wiener Neustadt and offers a view of the city and the Wiener Neustadt Basin. It is also the site of the Anningerhaus, a mountain hut that serves as a restaurant and a refuge for hikers and bikers.
Hohe Wandwarte: A lookout tower that stands on the Hohe Wand, at an elevation of 1,132 m. It was built in 1906 and is 20 m high. It is open to the public and provides a 360-degree view of the region, including the Schneeberg, the Rax, the Vienna Basin, and the Hungarian Plain.
Dreimarkstein: A summit that marks the border between Lower Austria, Burgenland, and Styria, at an altitude of 1,036 m. It is located in the Bucklige Welt and is part of the Wechsel Mountains, a sub-range of the Eastern Alps. It is a historical landmark that dates back to the 12th century, when it was used as a boundary marker between the domains of the Babenberg and the Árpád dynasties.

Valleys and Basins

Terrain and Topography

Wiener Neustadt is surrounded by several valleys and basins that shape the geography and climate of the city. Some of the most important ones are:

Wiener Neustadt Basin: A lowland area that covers about 800 km² and lies between the Vienna Woods and the Bucklige Welt. It is part of the Vienna Basin, a larger depression that extends from the Alps to the Carpathians. The Wiener Neustadt Basin is a fertile and densely populated region that hosts many towns and villages, as well as agricultural and industrial activities. It is also the location of the Thermenlinie, a climatic zone that is influenced by warm air currents from the Pannonian Plain and has a mild and dry climate.
Piesting Valley: A valley that runs from the Hohe Wand to the Danube, along the course of the Piesting River, a tributary of the Leitha. It is part of the Gutenstein Alps and has a length of about 40 km. It is a scenic and cultural area that features many attractions, such as the Myra Falls, a series of waterfalls that cascade down a gorge, the Burg Pottenstein, a medieval castle that overlooks the valley, and the Mayerling, a former hunting lodge that was the site of a tragic event involving the Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria and his lover, Baroness Mary Vetsera, in 1889.
Pitten Valley: A valley that stretches from the Bucklige Welt to the Leitha Mountains, along the flow of the Pitten River, another tributary of the Leitha. It is part of the Eastern Alps and has a length of about 30 km. It is a rural and natural area that offers many opportunities for hiking, biking, and fishing. It is also the location of the Seckau Abbey, a Benedictine monastery that was founded in 1140 and is known for its Romanesque architecture and its library.

Bodies of Water

Lakes: Wiener Neustadt has a number of artificial and natural lakes that offer various activities, such as swimming, boating, fishing, and ice skating. Some of the lakes that can be visited in or near the city are the Wiener Neustädter See, a reservoir that was created by damming the Leitha River, the Neufelder See, a former quarry that was flooded and turned into a recreational lake, the Linsbergsee, a small lake that is part of the Linsberg Asia Spa, a wellness and relaxation center, and the Erlaufsee, a glacial lake that lies at the foot of the Hochschwab Mountains and is known for its clear and cold water.
Rivers and Streams: Wiener Neustadt is crossed by several rivers and streams that contribute to the hydrology and ecology of the city and its surroundings. Some of the rivers and streams that flow through or near the city are the Leitha, the main river that drains the Wiener Neustadt Basin and flows into the Danube, the Piesting, a tributary of the Leitha that runs through the Piesting Valley and the Vienna Woods, the Pitten, another tributary of the Leitha that flows through the Pitten Valley and the Bucklige Welt, and the Warme Fischa, a stream that originates in the Vienna Woods and joins the Leitha in Wiener Neustadt.

Scenic Views

Wiener Neustadt has a number of scenic views that showcase the beauty and diversity of the landscape and the water. Some of the scenic views that can be enjoyed from or near the city are the Schneebergblick, a viewpoint that offers a stunning view of the Schneeberg, the highest mountain in Lower Austria, the Raxblick, a viewpoint that affords a splendid view of the Rax, a mountain range that has a distinctive plateau-like shape, the Hohe Wandblick, a viewpoint that reveals a magnificent view of the Hohe Wand, a mountain ridge that rises above the Wiener Neustadt Basin, and the Leithablick, a viewpoint that displays a panoramic view of the Leitha River and its valley.