The Roman Catholic parish church stands in the middle of the local cemetery in Zurndorf. It was built around 1270, during the Romanesque and Early Gothic periods, and is dedicated to the holy princes of the apostles, Peter and Paul. Its high altar painting by F. G. Herzsch, based on an engraving by Maulpertsch, depicts the princes of the apostles bidding farewell before their execution; it was restored in 1964. The dedication and the painting refer to the same saints in different forms: as the church’s patron saints and as figures in the depicted scene. The 1964 restoration concerns the painting, not the date the church was built—these two dates mark different points in its history.
Church Art and Religious History
St Michael’s Chapel offers a different architectural accent. This small rectangular building stands next to the rectory and was built from 1727 to 1739 at the instigation of parish priest Michael Franz Sämmer. Medieval walls in the present-day Protestant church in the cemetery recall Zurndorf’s Reformed parish community. A renovation carried out under Protestant preachers in the first half of the 17th century, which added a tower and vaulted ceiling, was destroyed by the fire of 1857. A fresco of the Crucifixion in Zurndorf’s parish church depicts Mary and John. Based on its subject and depiction, it is believed to date from 1610 to 1673, when the church was in Protestant hands.
Industrial History and Architectural Traces
The dynamite factory in Zurndorf was established in 1887 by a Mr Schickherr. It produced three grades of dynamite: No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3. In 1921, the factory was relocated to Csepel in Hungary. The factory building is privately owned. Another architectural trace is the former mill at MĂĽhlgasse 40. The heritage register dated June 19, 2026, lists it as a protected monument.
Natural Landscapes and Cycling
The Zurndorfer Eichenwald und Hutweide European protected area is located near Zurndorf. It comprises around 100 hectares of woodland and a pasture of around 20 hectares. The woodland is therefore approximately five times the area of the pasture. The oak forest is considered one of the best-preserved woodland areas on the Parndorfer Platte. Siliceous dry grassland grows on the hilltops and slopes of the pasture, while Bromus semi-dry grassland grows in the hollows. In terms of area, the site comprises around 100 hectares of woodland and around 20 hectares of pasture.
From an observation tower, cyclists on the nearby cycle path can watch great bustards and other endangered bird species, such as imperial eagles and red-footed falcons, without disturbing them. For cyclists on the nearby cycle path, birdwatching from the observation tower offers a nature experience around Zurndorf.
A route description published in 2020 presents the 50-kilometre B29 “Windradweg” cycle route, which crosses the Parndorfer Platte. It describes the stretch between Gattendorf and Zurndorf along the Leitha as particularly beautiful. Check the current route signs before setting off.
Discover more destinations: Sankt Andrä Am Zicksee, Halbturn, Weiden Am See, Nickelsdorf, Andau, Parndorf, Wallern Im Burgenland, Winden Am See
Return to the main travel overview: Neusiedl Am See.
