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City in Lower Austria near Vienna
Photo: Doronenko, CC BY-SA 3.0 at via Wikimedia Commons
Mödling is a city of 20,500 people (2018) in Lower Austria, on the southern outskirts of Vienna.
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Othmarkirche
The foundations of this fortified church date back to the 12th century; following successive attacks by the Magyars and Ottomans the church has been rebuilt a number of times, with the current structure dating to the late Gothic period. The Baroque roof is one of the largest surviving timbre roofs in Austria.
Karner St. Pantaleon
This round, late Romanesque ossuary was built in the 12th and 13th centuries, while Baroque bell tower and onion-domed roof were added in the late 17th century. Particularly notable are the fine carvings around the main entrance. The interior of the building was once richly decorated with Romanesque frescoes which during later centuries were completely covered by whitewash and other paintings; through careful restoration work however fragments of several of the original frescoes have been preserved.
Spitalskirche
A late Gothic church built in the mid-15th century next to a former hospital (hence the name), noted for its spacious interior vault.
Arnold Schönberg lived in this house from 1918-1925, and the building is often referred to as the 'birthplace of 12-tone music' as this is where the composer developed his radically new musical system. The museum has a permanent exhibit with photographs and recordings as well as many of Schönberg's original furnishings and instruments, lending insight to the life and times of the composer.
Thonet-Schlössel
The museum houses a collection of historic artifacts, from prehistoric until modern times. Along with the permanent exhibit there are special thematic exhibits. A small gift shop is onsite.
Beethoven-Gedenkstätte
Beethoven spent the summer months of 1818 and 1819 in the 'Hafner House', which was built in the late 16th century. During his time here he composed the Missa Solemnis (op. 123), Sonata for Pianoforte in B-flat major (op. 106), and the Mödlinger Tänze.
European Ethnology Museum
Operated by the Museum Mödling, this 15th-16th century building houses a collection of objects used in daily life prior to the 20th century.
Burg Liechtenstein
Located on the southern fringe of the Vienna Woods (Wienerwald), the castle was first built in the 12th century and besieged twice by Ottoman forces; it sustained heavy damage during the Russian occupation following WWII. The castle is owned by the ruling family of Liechtenstein. The castle is open by tour only (in German and English); tours last 40-50 minutes and begin at the top of the hour.
Burgruine Mödling
The castle was built at the beginning of the 11th century. In the early 13th century, the poet Walther von der Vogelweide visited the castle, which was then the residence of a side-line of the Babenbergers. It sustained heavy damage during the first Turkish siege of Vienna in 1529, and was completely burned down following a lightning strike in 1556; since then it has lain in ruins. The castle is a popular hiking destination for locals.
Stadtbad
Has indoor and outdoor pools, sauna, and an ice rink.
Naturpark Föhrenberge
This extensive park is part of the Vienna Woods (Wienerwald), and encompasses the Liechtenstein Castle and Mödling Castle ruins (listed above). Popular recreational activities in the park include hiking and mountain biking.
Husarentempel
Built in the 19th century.
Schwarzer Turm
An artificial ruined castle from the early 19th century.
A 12-m-high viewing platform built in the late 19th century which provides excellent views over the area.
MaWi
Serves good and reasonably-priced food, specialises in Viennese cuisine. The small theatre Bühne Mayer ) is in the basement, and stages concerts, cabarets, and performance art.
An excellent restaurant which serves classic Austrian dishes, operating in the Babenbergerhof Hotel (see listing below under 'Sleep').
The largest shopping mall in Austria, where you can find just about anything you might need.
By train
By bus
There are a number of bus routes into Mödling from the region and from Vienna. There are no international bus connections.
By car
The city is easily reachable by car. From the A2 expressway heading south take the exits Mödling SCS or Wr. Neudorf, and then follow the signs.
By bus and bicycle
By car
If you've come by car, it's better to park and avoid driving during rush hour, but otherwise it's easy to get around the city.
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