Großkrut: History, Winegrowing and Viewpoints

Großkrut brings together historic buildings, winegrowing, named routes, viewpoints and recurring markets. If you are looking for a hotel in Großkrut, these highlights can serve as a starting point for exploring the destination according to your interests.

Church and Local History

The Parish Church of St. Stephen stands on a hill in Großkrut. The former fortified church is a Late Gothic hall church with a Romanesque core dating from the 12th century. On the east side of the choir is an Ölberg relief by an unknown artist, dating from around 1500. The architecture and relief thus bring together different historical periods.

The parish’s history also goes back a long way. Founded around 1055 as the joint parish of Gaubitsch-Krut, the original parish became the mother parish of 21 parishes in the northeastern Weinviertel. The number of parishes gives a tangible sense of the founding parish’s former regional role.

The pillory is another testament to the town’s medieval history. It stands on a small hill outside Großkrut and is the only preserved execution site in the Weinviertel. It can be reached by car via the B47 towards Katzelsdorf. Check road conditions separately before setting out.

Winegrowing and Routes

At the foot of the Kellerberg in Großkrut, information boards explain the history of winegrowing in Großkrut. Two named routes differ in their stated length: “Step by Step with Fito Fit” runs between Großkrut and the Kellerberg and is 3.2 kilometres long; the Wine Culture Trail is listed as 9.5 kilometres long. The Kellerberg thus features in two different contexts: as the site of the winegrowing history information boards and as the endpoint of the Fito Fit route.

Viewpoints and Earth Cellar

The Wartbergwarte observation tower stands at the highest point in the municipality, 235 metres above the Adriatic. A Betty Bernstein viewpoint on the Kapellenberg looks out towards the Buschberg and the ruins of Staatz and Falkenstein. The landscape references therefore differ: one highlights the elevation within the municipality, while the other identifies the views’ named destinations.

The Kapellenberg is in Althöflein, within the municipality of Großkrut. The earth cellar system in the Kapellenberg is around 270 metres long and is among the most extensive in all of Central Europe. The Earth Cellar Museum provides an overview of the research and the site. The subject thus encompasses both the scale of the system and its study.

Markets and Kellerberg Festival

Markets are still held in Großkrut four times a year: on 2 February for Candlemas, on 16 May for the feast of St. John of Nepomuk, on 10 August for the feast of St. Lawrence, and on 15 October for the feast of St. Teresa. The market days are therefore spread from February to October. The Kellerberg Festival takes place every year at the end of August and is a traditional, very well-attended event. It should not be confused with the market for the feast of St. Lawrence, which takes place on 10 August. If you would like to include the festival in your travel plans, check the current events calendar for the next date.

Discover more destinations: Staatz, Wildendürnbach, Patzmannsdorf, Röhrabrunn, Großharras, Municipality of Ulrichskirchen-Schleinbach, Kreuttal, Großebersdorf

For the regional travel overview: Mistelbach.