Road Bike Route Fortified Church Road in the Vienna Alps

Cycling tour Starting from Bad Schönau at the church

  • Difficulty: Difficult
  • Distance: 63,09 km
  • Duration: 2:30 h
  • Ascent: 1215 m elevation gain
  • Descent: 1213 m elevation gain

This demanding road bike route through the Bucklige Welt in the Vienna Alps offers insights into the impressive cultural monuments of the fortified churches. The start and finish point is at the church in Bad Schönau.

Starting point of the tour
Bad Schönau at the church
Tour destination
Bad Schönau at the church
  • Difficulty: Difficult
  • Distance: 63,09 km
  • Duration: 2:30 h
  • Ascent: 1215 m elevation gain
  • Descent: 1213 m elevation gain
  • Fitness level required:
    6/6
  • Overall experience:
    5/6
  • Scenery:
    5/6
  • Lowest point415 m
  • Highest point849 m
  • Round tour
  • Nice views
  • With refreshment stops

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Description

They were houses of worship – and thanks to battlements, machicolations, or arrow slits, in times of war also places of refuge and defense. Today, the fortified churches of the Bucklige Welt are silent witnesses of history and turn an entire region into an open-air historical museum.

The fortified churches of the Bucklige Welt lie along a roughly 123 km long route from Edlitz to Katzelsdorf across 13 different towns. In Bad Schönau, where a massive sacristy door shows traces of axe blows, bearing witness to the defensive function of the fortified church. Or in Lichtenegg: Here the fortified church with its secret mezzanine and a bakery oven in the church tower is almost completely preserved. At each fortified church, there is an explanatory information board.

Road cyclists regard the Bucklige Welt as one of the best, least trafficked, most enjoyable, and most varied road bike areas in the German-speaking region. The 1000 hills of the Bucklige Welt offer 1000 opportunities for a successful road bike holiday, as riding is not only on flat terrain. The hilly ride is rewarded with breathtaking views.

Recommended period

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Current weather in Bad Schönau

Today, 11.02.2026

4° to 7°

Today, 11.02.2026

Cloudy

Wind speed1,0 km/h

Tomorrow, 12.02.2026

3° to 9°

Tomorrow, 12.02.2026

Cloudy

Wind speed1,4 km/h

More info:

Vienna Alps in Lower Austria, www.wieneralpen.at, Tel.: +43 2622 78960

Tourism Office Bad Schönau, www.badschoenau.at, Tel.: +43 2646 8284