Lower Austria’s Towns and Regions

Lower Austria is the largest federal state in Austria and is known for its multifaceted landscapes - from the Cider and Weinviertel, the Danube valley and Waldviertel to the Vienna Woods and the Vienna Alps - as well as its distinctive wine and gourmet culture and important cultural venues and festivals.

Lower Austria's most important landmarks include:

• Melk Abbey: Baroque Benedictine abbey overlooking the Danube, international symbol of Lower Austria and part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Wachau.
• Wachau: Terraced vineyards between Melk and Krems, historic towns, abbeys and castles - UNESCO World Hertige site and flagship of the province.
• Göttweig Abbey: "Austria's Montecassino" above the Danube valley, characterises the Wachau skyline as a landmark.
• St. Pölten: State capital with baroque old town and modern government district; cathedral and sound tower as striking landmarks.
• Wine cellar lanes: Rows of press houses and cellars, intangible cultural heritage and particularly common in the Weinviertel.
• Carnuntum & Heidentor: Roman urban landscape on the Danube, the Heidentor as a striking symbol of the ancient heritage.
• Mariazell Railway: Historic narrow-gauge railway from St. Pölten to Mariazell, iconic connection through the Pielach Valley.
• Retz windmill: One of the last remaining operational windmills in Austria and an iconic landmark of the wine town of Retz.
• Semmering Railway: The world's first mountain railway, UNESCO World Heritage Site and symbol of the summer resort.
• Schneeberg: 2,076 metre-high local mountain on the outskirts of Vienna and a striking peak in the Vienna Alps.
• Rax & Rax Areal Ropeway: rocky plateau on the eastern edge of the Alps; the Rax Areal Ropeway opened in 1926 as a legendary gateway to Vienna's local mountains.
• Castles and palaces: Aggstein and Dürnstein castle ruins, Renaissance Schallaburg Castle, Grafenegg Castle and the Marchfeld castles of Schloss Hof, Eckartsau, Marchegg and Orth, which characterise the region.

Even though Lower Austria traditionally speaks of four "quarters", the province is divided into six regions or tourist destinations - each with its own profile:

• Waldviertel - granite characterised highlands with ponds, moors and plenty of peace and quiet; known for summer retreats, power spots and unspoilt nature for hiking and cycling.
• Weinviertel - rolling hills, cellar lanes (former wine production and storage sites), the peppery Weinviertel DAC; wine and culinary delights characterise the region, as do the numerous cycle routes that lead through vineyards and wine cellar lanes.
• Mostviertel - Cider pear trees and gourmet routes in the north, alpine mountains around the Ötscher in the south; known for its pure pear cider and the stark contrast between hilly and high mountain landscapes.
• Danube Lower Austria - The Danube valley with the Wachau (UNESCO World Heritage Site), abbeys such as Melk and Göttweig, terraced winegrowing, the Danube cycle path and boat trips are classics for cultural and JUST ENJOY tours.
• Vienna Woods - Green belt outside Vienna, partly a biosphere park; forests, wine villages, wine taverns and thermal spas make it a recreational area with short distances between the city, nature and culture.
• Vienna Alps in Lower Austria - Mountain region with Schneeberg, Rax, Semmering, Hoher Wand and Bucklige Welt; traditional summer resort, panoramic hiking and winter sports in the south of the country.

The current administrative organisation of Lower Austria comprises 20 political districts and four statutory towns. There are a total of 573 politically independent municipalities. Statutory towns are towns with their own municipal law that fulfil municipal and district functions in one unit - in Lower Austria these are St. Pölten, Krems an der Donau, Waidhofen an der Ybbs and Wiener Neustadt.

Lower Austria is traditionally divided into four large landscapes, the so-called "quarters":

• Waldviertel in the north - high-lying granite country with forests, ponds and cooler summers.
• Weinviertel in the north-east - gently rolling hills with vineyards and many wine cellar lanes.
• Mostviertel in the west - cider pear trees in the north, the foothills of the Alps around the Ötscher in the south.
• Industrieviertel in the south-east - from the Vienna Basin to the Vienna Alps with thermal spas, cities and a strong economic area.

These districts are historical and geographical regions, not administrative units.

Lower Austria is also divided into sixtouristdestinations: Waldviertel, Weinviertel, Mostviertel, Danube Lower Austria, Vienna Woods and Vienna Alps in Lower Austria.