Felix Pilgrimage Route

Description

The market town of Schwarzenau is a particularly beautiful part of the Waldviertel, easily accessible by car and train. Located exactly between Gmünd and Horn, Waidhofen and Zwettl, Schwarzenau can rightfully consider itself the heart of the Waldviertel.

The most striking building is the privately owned castle. Surrounded by a magnificent park including a castle pond, it is one of the few fully renovated Renaissance castles in Austria. It is equipped with valuable paintings by Paul Troger and enjoys an unofficial reputation as an "Austrian Stucco Museum" due to the extraordinary stuccos of Giovanni Battista d’allio.

Right next to the castle is the Thaya-Au Park with remarkable Waldviertel granite sculptures by Lithuanian artists, whose works can also be seen at the main square and at the idyllic forest swimming area "Bühlteich".

Starting point of the tour

Schwarzenau and Großhaselbach

Route description Felix Pilgrimage Route

From Schwarzenau, you go east on a forest path to Großhaselbach. You follow the old church path to Stögersbach, then continue on a gravel road to Matzlesschlag and Waldberg. Following the hiking trail, you reach Rafings. Continuing south, the hike goes to Rafingsberg and the impressive church ruin "Maria Rafings", a former important pilgrimage site that fell into decay after its closure at the end of the 18th century and is now being preserved by the local population. A new pilgrimage chapel is located not far from the ruin. Via Windigsteig and Limpfings, you return to Schwarzenau. In Schwarzenau - Großhaselbach - Waldberg and Windigsteig there are Felix statues, which were donated in gratitude in 1738-39 by a Schwarzenau castle lord.