Waschberg

The Waschberg rises near the villages of Leitzersdorf and Niederhollabrunn in Lower Austria, reaching 388 metres above sea level. Its eastern wooded ridge climbs slightly higher to about 395 metres. The summit area is crowned by an open lookout point and a summit cross. The mountain belongs to the Natura 2000 Europe-wide protected area called the Weinviertler Klippenzone. Its slopes and summit also shelter a colony of the European souslik, a ground squirrel now rare in Austria. The Waschberg’s geology tells of ancient seas and mountain-building forces. The summit is built of Eocene limestone packed with nummulite fossils. Hard granite blocks, including the Devil’s Stone on the southern slope, were lifted from deep underground about seventeen million years ago. Small stone quarries once supplied road metal in the 19th century. A local legend claims the Devil hurled the Devil’s Stone from the Michelberg after losing a fight with Saint Michael. Visitors reach the open summit through meadows of nationally important semi-dry grassland. The slopes are patterned with colourful wildflowers such as agrimony, betony and black pasque flower. The mountain is threaded by walking, cycling and pilgrimage routes like the Jakobsweg Weinviertel. To the west lies a military training area, while at the foot a single vineyard still produces mixed wine and grape juice.