The three cellar lanes, the parish church of St. Martin with its tower museum, and the Kalvarienberg tumulus offer several different historical points of interest in Pillichsdorf. To the north, there are also gently rolling vineyards. When planning your stay, you can choose between cultural history, archaeological topics and scenery.
Three cellar lanes form an impressive ensemble
The Pillichsdorf cellar lanes comprise the Upper, Middle and Lower Cellar Lanes. Together, they contain around 245 wine-press houses and rank among the largest and most impressive cellar-lane ensembles in Central Europe. The three named sections and the approximate number of wine-press houses convey the scale of this cultural heritage. If you are particularly interested in historic architecture and cellar lanes, you can explore this theme alongside the history of the church and the village.
Church and tower museum
The parish church of St. Martin is one of the oldest and largest churches in the region. Its different construction phases can be distinguished: parts of the nave date from the Romanesque period, while the choir was built in the Gothic period. The church tower is 500 years old and houses the Pillichsdorf Tower Museum. The church and museum thus offer two connected perspectives on the village: the development of an important church building and the collection displayed inside it.
More than 130 exhibits from geology, prehistory and early history, the Middle Ages and modern times can be viewed in the tower museum. The collection spans several periods and subject areas. Exhibits include a reconstructed lunar idol and a firedog from the Early Iron Age, or Hallstatt period, around 650 BC. The museum also displays a restored Baroque clock mechanism dating from 1762. Comparing these objects illustrates the collection’s chronological range: one points to early history, the other to Baroque clockmaking.
Calvary Hill: burial mound and natural feature
The Kalvarienberg tumulus is still about four metres high and dates from the Hallstatt period, around 650 BC. The urn of a probably local prince and grave goods were buried in the mound. Another historical marker was added in 1959, when a monument commemorating Emperor Francis I’s presence was erected on the tumulus. The two points in time are clearly distinct: the burial mound dates from the Hallstatt period, while the monument was built in the 20th century.
Feather grass, also known as “women’s hair,” grows at Kalvarienberg and is found nowhere else in the village; it grows mainly on dry grassland. This means the named site has a natural history interest as well as its archaeological past. Visitors interested in history and plant life can explore two different themes in the same place.
Vineyards and winemaking in Pillichsdorf
North of Pillichsdorf, the vineyards form a gently rolling landscape that invites visitors to take a walk. For a different perspective on winemaking, the municipal figures provide a broader picture: a total of 60 hectares of vineyards are planted in Pillichsdorf. They are cultivated by 65 winegrowing businesses, mostly as a secondary occupation. The invitation to take a walk refers to the vineyards in the north, while the figures cover the entire municipality.
Another historical landmark
The Hager Mill is also one of Pillichsdorf’s historic buildings; it dates from the 14th century. In contrast to the Hallstatt-period features at Kalvarienberg, it represents a different point in time. Together with the parish church’s various construction phases, it gives a broad historical perspective without reducing the different sites to a single period.
Planning a tower museum tour
Tours of the tower museum are generally available by making an advance appointment by telephone. As arrangements may change, call ahead to confirm a time before your visit.
Discover more destinations: Hausbrunn, Pottenhofen, Herrnbaumgarten, Mistelbach An Der Zaya, Großkrut, Falkenstein Bei Poysdorf, Nodendorf, Großebersdorf.
Return to the main travel overview: Mistelbach.
