Hainburg is the most eastern city in Austria and boasts a building of European stature: the city fortifications built in the first half of the 13th century, with their towers and gates, are the most complete and most monumentally preserved fortifications in Central Europe from that time. Up to ten meters high and over two meters thick with originally 15 towers, it is really worth a visit. It is also interesting that the complex is said to have been built from 1194 onwards from the ransom money for Richard the Lionheart (held captive in Dürnstein). The landmark of Hainburg and at the same time the most important city gate in Austria is the "Vienna Gate": Built around 1230/40, it is an extremely representative gate building that is well preserved and looks very impressive. Today the Hainburg City Museum is located in the Wiener Tor. Hainburg was the focus of interest in December 1984 because a Danube power plant was to be built in the Stoppenreuther Au. With the peaceful occupation of the Au by numerous activists, construction was prevented and a jewel of nature was preserved - in 1996 the Donau-Auen National Park finally became a reality. The occupation of the Au is also considered to be the initial spark for the founding of the party "Die Grünen" in Austria. The converted former tobacco factory is a symbol of Hainburg's new tourist and economic opportunities at the intersection of East and West. Since 2007, the castle-like industrial building from the Baroque period has served as an exhibition and administration center and as an archaeological depot for the province of Lower Austria.
From the Hainburg ship station - 48 km from the Reichsbrücke - cycle under the railway bridge; slightly uphill to the Ungartor station and from there straight ahead into the beautiful hilly landscape of eastern Lower Austria; a nice view of Bratislava is offered here. On dirt roads you reach Wolfsthal; past the castle through the village and then again on the route of the former Vienna-Pressburg railway (= continuation of the railway line ending in Wolfsthal) you cycle over the border without traffic to the pedestrian zone of Bratislava. With a unique difference in altitude at the beginning of 20 meters (according to the bike map, you cross the Danube at the 2nd bridge (= the one with the "UFO" on the bridge pillar)).
