The Knight and the Flower

In the small Austrian town of Forchtenstein, near the great castle, stood an old playground. It was a place where children's laughter echoed through the air, and swings creaked in the breeze. But among the slides and climbing frames stood something unusual—an old knight statue, holding a single metal flower in his hand.
No one knew exactly how he got there, but the townspeople said he had once guarded the castle. Legends whispered that he had fallen in love with a princess who loved flowers more than gold. To win her heart, he forged a perfect iron rose. But before he could give it to her, a spell froze him in time.
Children loved the knight. They played around him, touching the flower and making up stories. One evening, as the sun set behind the hills, a little girl named Lena placed a real red rose in the knight’s hand. The wind blew gently, and for just a moment, some say they saw the knight smile.
And so, the knight remained, his metal flower in one hand, a real one in the other—forever watching over the playground in Forchtenstein.

Dead Tree at the Schneeberg

A dead tree stands on a slope next to a hiking trail on the Schneeberg.

Poidlwarte

The Poidlwarte near Kirchberg an der Pielach offers stunning views over the picturesque Dirndl Valley.

Gaiskirchlein

The "Gaiskirchlein" near Breitenstein am Semmering is a remote place of worship on a rocky massif under which a deep cave is hidden.

Sunflowers near Falkenstein

Huge sunflower fields along the “Three Sisters” cultural hiking trail from Poysdorf in the Weinviertel to Falkenstein, where the historic castle is located.

1st Viennese Aqueduct Trail

On the 1st Viennese Aqueduct Trail, we are currently at Mödling's Eichkogel, above the Thallern Winery, enjoying the excellent monastery inn.

Church in Falkenstein

 The Roman Catholic parish church of Falkenstein (patron saint: St. James the Elder) is a west-facing early Baroque hall church with a south-east tower. It stands, dominating and in an elevated position, northwest of the town center in front of the castle of Falkenstein in Lower Austria.

Church at the Wartberg

The pilgrimage church on the Wartberg near Eggenburg in the Weinviertel is visible far beyond the country.

Sunflower with Butterfly

Many sunflowers and butterflies at the top of the Leiser Berge near Oberleis in the Weinviertel.

Hiking trail in the Hintere Tormäuer

This part of the Ötschergräben at the Hintere Tormäuern is less visited but worth every visit. The stretch between the power station at Stierwaschboden and Erlaufboden offers the visitor great insights into a magnificent natural landscape.

Mürz

Small river Mürz in Mürzzuschlag near the Semmering.

Old Wagon Smith in Jedenspeigen

On the famous Berstein Road in eastern Lower-Austria, there is the village Jedenspeigen. Here you can find a famous castle and this old building of a wagon smith.

Trail of Three Kings

The Trail of Three Kings between Jedenspeigen and Dürnkrut in eastern Lower-Austria. In this area the great knight battle was fought in 1278 between Ottokar King of Bohemia and Rudolf von Habsburg. Ottokar died with 12000 men.

Danube Trail at Eckartsau

At Eckartsau, near the castle where the last emperor of Austria lived last before he left for exile, there is a beautiful trail through the Nationalpark Donauauen, leading through the woods and next to the Danube shore.

Damböck House at Waxriegel

Next to the Waxriegel visitors at the Schneeberg (highest mountain in Lower-Austria) will find a nice place to rest in the Damböck House.