Schöpfl

Schöpfl stands in the Vienna Woods, the north-easternmost fringe of the Alps. At 893 metres it is the highest point in this forested range. The mountain is made of flysch rock typical of the region. Two summits rise above the tree line, each crowned by a tower. The main summit carries an observation tower that lets visitors look 100 kilometres across the landscape. The University of Vienna runs the Leopold Figl Observatory at Mitterschöpfl, 882 metres above sea level. Its largest telescope has a 1.5-metre mirror built in the 1960s. A newer tower nearby holds smaller astrophysical instruments. On clear nights the observatory opens its domes to the public for stargazing sessions. Visitors walk through mixed woodland on well-marked paths that lead to both summits. The observation tower offers sweeping views west to the Northern Limestone Alps and east to the Carpathians. The observatory site includes a small exhibition about its telescopes and the work done there. On quiet evenings the only sounds are the wind in the trees and the occasional hum of the telescopes turning.