Rattersdorf combines an unusual pilgrimage church with a pilgrimage tradition dating back to around 1300. It also offers routes through the hilly landscape of Central Burgenland. Those considering a stay can explore the town through two interests: sacred architectural history and routes through the landscape. Cultural and natural features provide different points of reference for planning a trip.
Pilgrimage Church: Architectural History and Places of Worship
The Rattersdorf pilgrimage church is a group of two churches that have grown together. A defensive wall surrounds the complex, which came together between the 13th and 17th centuries. The parish was founded around 1300, and the pilgrimage tradition in Rattersdorf began at the same time. This brings together a long religious tradition and an architectural complex that developed over several centuries in one place.
The oldest part of the pilgrimage church is a 13th-century chapel on the lower level of the tower. The Rattersdorf devotional image of Maria Lactans is a copy of the 1644 votive image. The chapel and devotional image offer two different historical points of reference: the early construction period and a later tradition of religious imagery. The “Bründl,” a holy spring, is located on the east side of the church, on the former cemetery.
Pilgrimage Tradition and Pilgrimage Days
Rattersdorf has three main pilgrimage days: the Sunday after 2 July, 15 August and 8 September. If you would like to time your visit to coincide with one of these days, check the date locally in advance. Hungarian pilgrims travelling on foot to Mariazell also stop in Rattersdorf. The main days provide a seasonal reference point; the pilgrims on foot reflect the town’s connection to a longer journey to Mariazell.
Landscape and Routes Around Rattersdorf
The pilgrimage church is set in the hilly landscape of Central Burgenland, among forests and meadows. Very old sweet chestnut trees are considered characteristic of Rattersdorf. The landscape and chestnut trees are therefore among the town’s distinctive features, alongside its architectural history.
The routes vary in their course and activity. The “alpannonia” circular hiking trail links Rattersdorf with Kőszeg via Siebenbründl and the Althaus observation tower on Zeigerberg, then returns to Rattersdorf. The Mária Út turns left before the church and continues to the border; in the Írottkő-Geschriebenstein Nature Park, it runs from Rattersdorf towards Kőszeg. The cross-border MTB-Geschriebenstein route also passes through Rattersdorf. This means there are several different route options: a circular hike that returns to its starting point, a pilgrimage route towards the border and Kőszeg, and a mountain biking trail.
Practical Information for Getting Around the Town
For planning a trip by public transport, Rattersdorf has a stop called “Rattersdorf, Bahnhofstraße.” If you plan to use it, check departure times separately in the timetable. Gasthaus Hutter is also in Rattersdorf; check its opening hours before your visit when planning where to eat.
Discover more destinations: Ritzing, Frankenau-Unterpullendorf, Raiding, Kroatisch Minihof, GroĂźmutschen, DraĂźmarkt, Nikitsch, Haschendorf.
For the overview of the wider area: Oberpullendorf.
