History and Nature in the Leitha Mountains

At the foot of the Leitha Mountains and surrounded by old quarries lies Kaisersteinbruch. Stonemasonry, historic buildings and nature shape different aspects of the village. When choosing accommodation for your stay, it may help to consider these interests: would you like to focus mainly on local history, hiking, or birdlife and wetland habitats?

Stonemasonry and Buildings

The Kaisersteinbruch Stonemasonry Museum documents the history of the village and the stonemasons’ guild. One defining period dates back to the Renaissance: an Italian artists’ colony developed in Kaisersteinbruch at that time. The use of Kaiserstein can also be traced in buildings outside the village: it was used for the Vienna Hofburg and Esterházy Palace in Eisenstadt. An ORF report dated 10 April 2023 also mentions stone from the “Blue Quarry,” which was used, among other things, in the construction of Schönbrunn Palace. The artists’ colony and the later references to buildings show two different aspects of local cultural history: artistic development in the village and the use of Kaiserstein elsewhere.

Roman Connections

The museum’s collection includes a coin collection from the area around a former Roman villa; the villa dates back to the 1st century BC. The Romans also used the quarries near Kaisersteinbruch. In chronological terms, Roman quarrying and the Renaissance colony stand alongside one another as two different chapters in the village’s history. For a historical perspective, two references to antiquity should be distinguished: the coin collection from the area around the villa and the Roman use of the quarries.

A Serious Chapter in the Village’s History

The Stonemasonry Museum also documents the Stalag XVII A prisoner-of-war camp from the Second World War and the subsequent Soviet occupation of Kaisersteinbruch. Around 10,000 prisoners died in the camp, including approximately 9,500 from the Soviet Union. Soviet prisoners therefore accounted for almost the entire number of victims. Alongside craftsmanship and architecture, this subject forms a serious focus in the village’s history.

Church and Other Sights

The sights include Kaisersteinbruch’s magnificently restored 17th-century church. Its origins lie in a vow made by several residents during the plague of 1617. The Baroque cemetery gate and the Europabrunnen, with its numerous country plaques, are also sights. The connection between the church and the history of the plague offers a distinct way to explore the village.

Hiking and Wetland Habitat

The forests around Kaisersteinbruch invite you to go hiking. The Batthyanyfeld nature reserve is a wetland habitat rich in bird species in the cadastral municipality of Kaisersteinbruch. When planning, you can weigh whether hiking or an interest in birdlife and wetland habitats should be the deciding factor.

Discover more destinations: Gols, Frauenkirchen, Podersdorf Am See, Weiden Am See, Edelstal, Bruckneudorf, Andau, Winden Am See

Back to the main travel overview: Neusiedl Am See.