On the way to the center of the earth
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Hiking tour Starting from Schwarzenau, Thaya-Au Park
The village is dominated by Schwarzenau Castle. Swarcenawe Castle, which originally stood on this site, was first mentioned in a document in 1150. Pilgrim von Schwarzenau, mentioned in 1197, who was a follower of Hadmar II von Kuenring, is thought to have built it. When the Gmünd-Eggenburg line of the Franz Josef Railway was opened in 1869, the village developed into an important railroad junction. But although the Iron Curtain fell on the border with the Czech Republic in 1989 and the borders were open, the railroad line continued to lose its appeal and soon only had regional significance. The branch lines, for example to Zwettl, no longer carry any passengers at all!
The village is dominated by Schwarzenau Castle. Swarcenawe Castle, which originally stood on this site, was first mentioned in a document in 1150. Pilgrim von Schwarzenau, mentioned in 1197, who was a follower of Hadmar II von Kuenring, is thought to have built it. When the Gmünd-Eggenburg line of the Franz Josef Railway was opened in 1869, the village developed into an important railroad junction. But although the Iron Curtain fell on the border with the Czech Republic in 1989 and the borders were open, the railroad line continued to lose its appeal and soon only had regional significance. The branch lines, for example to Zwettl, no longer carry any passengers at all!
The market town of Schwarzenau is a particularly beautiful part of the Waldviertel, easily accessible by car and train. Situated exactly between Gmünd and Horn, Waidhofen and Zwettl, Schwarzenau can rightly consider itself the heart of the Waldviertel.
The most striking building is the privately owned castle. Surrounded by a magnificent park with a castle pond, it is one of the few completely renovated Renaissance castles in Austria. It is furnished with valuable paintings by Paul Troger and enjoys the unofficial reputation of an "Austrian stucco museum" due to the extraordinary stucco work by Giovanni Battista d'allio.
Right next to the castle is the Thaya-Au-Park with remarkable Waldviertel granite sculptures by Lithuanian artists, whose works can also be seen on the main square and at the idyllic "Bühlteich" forest pool.
Make sure when choosing your route that it matches your fitness level. Check whether the catering establishments you want to visit along the way are open. Pack your charged mobile phone and maps in your backpack. For cross-border routes, always carry a passport or identity card.
Sturdy footwear, functional clothing, sun and rain protection, maps, if necessary telescopic poles, first aid kit (blister plasters), sufficient provisions (snack, muesli bars, fruit, water).
You start in Schwarzenau at the park or castle and hike along Waidhofnerstraße north to the Brühlteich. Through a lime-maple avenue, you reach a large sandstone statue, Maria Immaculata. The path runs through the forest in an S-shape. You finally reach a clearing and continue towards the federal road. You come from the edge of the forest via a meadow path to the road Sparbach – Klein Reichenbach, cross the federal road and turn left at the small fire station in Sparbach. You leave Sparbach heading south and turn left again at the next intersection at the Eisenkreuz towards Schwarzenau. A yellow arrow now shows you the way to the center of the earth. Passing by the Schwedenstein, which lies about 30 meters off to the side in the meadow, and the Halterteich, you come to a road where you go right. Opposite the cemetery you cross the Thaya River and follow the path towards Schwarzenau. At the road towards Zwettl keep left and immediately after right towards the fire station. You follow the road further and only turn left at the end of the large meadow. Follow the path and you come back to your starting point.
Vienna: A 22 - Stockerau - B4 to Horn - B2 to Brunn an der Wild - turn left onto B32 to Winkel, turn right onto L56 to Schwarzenau.
Linz: A 7 towards Freistadt - B 310 to Freistadt - B 38 to Karlstift, then turn right and drive to Zwettl - in Zwettl, drive towards Gmünd on B 36 - At Gerotten turn onto L 67 and drive to Schwarzenau.
Market town of Schwarzenau
3900 Schwarzenau
Waidhofnerstrasse 2
www.schwarzenau.at,
gemeinde@schwarzenau.at
Phone: +43(2849)2247
WALDVIERTEL Tourism
Sparkassenplatz 1/2/2
3910 Zwettl
(T) +43(0)2822/54109, Fax ext. 36
(E) info@waldviertel.at
(I) www.waldviertel.at
Letzte Änderung: 3 Aug 2026