Weiten: Trails, Nature and History

Weiten combines a variety of themed trails with nature and cultural experiences. When planning your stay, it is worth distinguishing between their different focuses: some trails provide specific guidance on distance and duration, while others introduce a particular theme through a series of stops. The area also has historical highlights such as the parish church of St. Stephen and the pillory column at Prangerplatz.

Trails with different focuses

The “Tut Gut Schritte Weg” runs for about 1.5 kilometres, or around 2,100 steps, through the centre of Weiten. The stated walking time is approximately 45 minutes. The route is 80 percent paved and 20 percent steeply ascending forest trail. Its length, duration and surface provide specific points of reference for your planning; check the route details again before setting out.

Other trails focus more strongly on a particular theme. “Der Mensch und sein Baum” (People and Their Trees) features about 50 marked and described stops exploring the significance of individual trees and shrubs. The forest along this trail is home to a 1,000-year-old copper beech, considered a unique natural monument. The Planetary Circular Trail, meanwhile, depicts the solar system at a scale of 1:1.6 billion. It leads as far as the outermost planet, Pluto, in the hamlet of “Am Schuß”; information boards show scale-accurate images of the planets. The trails therefore differ mainly in whether you would like to explore native trees and shrubs or the relative sizes of the solar system.

The Dr. Jörg Mauthe Trail offers literary connections, with 17 stops featuring quotations from Dr. Jörg Mauthe’s books. For a cycling trip, the 57-kilometre Southern Waldviertel Cycle Route is a different proposition from the short local trail: it connects the Danube Cycle Path with the Southern Waldviertel and passes through Weiten. Signage and route conditions may change, so check them before your ride.

In the village of Weiten, Hans Lagler Platzl is a resting place along the “Der Mensch und sein Baum” hiking trail. It complements the tree theme with a specific spot to take a break along the route. The route information and the description of the Planetary Circular Trail provide different kinds of guidance: one focuses on trees and their significance, the other on a scale model of the solar system.

Culture and history

The parish church of St. Stephen has a Gothic choir and famous tracery windows with stained glass dating from the 14th and 15th centuries. Guided church tours are available for groups of five or more by arrangement. If you would like to plan a tour, arrange the date in advance.

The pillory column with the Roland statue at Prangerplatz in Weiten offers another historical point of interest: it is considered a visible symbol of judicial authority. Mollenburg Castle was first mentioned in 1303. These details offer different perspectives on history—from medieval architecture and stained glass to the memory of judicial authority and the castle’s early mention.

Discover more destinations: Schönbühel An Der Donau, Dorfstetten.

Back to the overview of destinations: Melk.