Geyersteine

Altmanns lies in the rolling Waldviertel hills of north-western Lower Austria, where the Braunaubach flows through the long village street. The settlement forms part of Heidenreichstein and stretches beside meadows and mixed woodland. A low ridge rises at the south-eastern edge of the cadastral area to its highest point of 574 metres. The place is known for the Geyersteine, a group of rocks declared a natural monument. A plaque on the stones honours Franz Geyer, a local composer who died in 1965. Nearby, the Bruneiteich covers 38.52 hectares and belongs to a protected landscape that shelters rare birds and plants. Two dams and two sluice houses divide the water body into large and small parts. Visitors walk along the Braunaubach or follow paths around the Geyersteine. The teich offers views over open water and reed beds where waterfowl gather. The memorial rocks stand beside a quiet lane, their rough surfaces etched by wind and time.