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schlossORTH National Park Centre

The schlossORTH National Park Centre is your National Park information point, excursion destination and event location. The Schlossinsel area is very popular. It introduces animals and plants of the Danube wetlands.

Gateway to the Wetlands

Schloss Orth has a long and lively history. Originally built in the 12th century as a medieval moated castle, and once serving as Crown Prince Rudolph’s hunting lodge, it has been a museum open to the public since 1950. Its grand opening as the schlossORTH National Park Centre took place in 2005, after a period of extensive renovation and refurbishment. The information and visitor centre of the National Park Donau-Auen are now located here. Individual guests, groups, kindergartens and schools are welcome. Only 15 km outside the Vienna city limits, you will find here under one roof

  • Tourism and National Park information point with booking and shop

  • Exhibition DonAUräume and National Park Lounge

  • Schlossinsel outdoor area with underwater observation station

  • Observation tower with the exhibition "Im Aufwind. The return of the sea eagles"

  • Tournament Courtyard with the plant presentation "Pannonian Gardens"

  • the museumORTH, which focuses on the history of the Danube municipality of Orth

Safety measures for the schlossORTH National Park Centre

- For access and participation in the guided tour through the exhibition DonAUräume you have to show either your negative Covid test, your certificate of vaccination or proof of past infection.

The current regulations and restrictions of the Austrian Government are available here: https://www.austria.info/en/service-and-facts/coronavirus-information

In the indoor area (foyer, national park lounge, store, etc.), a FFP2 mask is required for negatively tested; this is not required for certificate of vaccination or proof of last infection (exceptions: Children up to 6 years are exempt from the regulation, for children up to 14 years a mouth-nose protection is sufficient).

- Remember to wash your hands regularly, which is possible in our restrooms. In front of the restrooms, you can find a possibility to disinfect your hands.

- There are disinfectants available at the information boards of the outdoor area “Schlossinsel” as well as in the exhibition "Im Aufwind. The return of the White-tailed-Eagles”, disinfectants and wipes are provided in many places. Before touching the objects, models, binoculars, please disinfect the surface.

We thank you for following the regulations and wish you a pleasant stay at the schlossORTH National Park Centre.

schlossORTH National Park Centre is tourism partner of

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Contact

schlossORTH National Park Centre
A-2304 Orth/Donau
Tel. +43 2212/3555
e-mail: schlossorth@donauauen.at

Opening Hours 2021

3 May - 30 May: Monday to Friday from 12:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Weekends and holidays from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
1 June - 30 September: Daily  from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
1 October - 1 November: Daily  from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
2 November - 20 March: closed for the winter. Telephone enquiries and bookings only, Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Directions

Entrance discounts

Ö1 Club, Hunger auf Kunst und Kultur in Niederösterreich, NÖ Familienpass und Aktiv Plus Card, Jugend:karte NÖ, ARBÖ Club, IKEA Family, WWF TEAM PANDA, Steirischer Familienpass, Neusiedler See Card, Bank Austria Kundenkarte

as well as for members of the Emy Kinder-Club and for guests of the Marchfelder Schlösserreich (with ticket of another castle already visited).

Note: The ongoing development of the visitor infrastructure in the schlossORTH National Park Centre and the optimisation of the visitor infrastructure on the castle island were carried out with funding from the Rural Development Programme with support from the federal government and the European Commission.

The Schlossinsel

At the Schlossinsel you can discover characteristic habitats, animals and plants of the river landscape on a tour.

For barrier-free environmental education for people with special needs, there are tactile overview plans and rotating information boards with 3D animal models at several stations, including ground squirrels and European pond turtle. Audio texts provide descriptions of the creatures and background knowledge via special QR codes.

A tracking station shows footprints, skins, antlers and other clues to animals such as beavers, deer, roe deer and foxes. Several play areas await children.

Living creatures of the river landscape

European pond turtles, several native snake species, amphibians and interesting insects ranging from wild bees, beetles and dragonflies to butterflies are at home on the Schlossinsel area. Once typical representatives of the National Park region, European ground squirrels are shown in an enclosure. Sometimes kingfishers or various species of herons can be seen at the waters.

The walk-in underwater observation station provides a view of the diversity of aquatic life in the Danube tributaries - like a dive! Here you can observe various fish such as rudd, bream, tench etc. in their largely natural behaviour. In addition, an aquarium shows fish species of the plant-rich small waters like the Mudminnow as well as mussels and snails.

Aquatic plants such as pond lily and water milfoil, native flower species, various climbing plants such as wild grapevine or hops and imposing trees of the floodplain thrive on the Schlossinsel.

Several idyllic observation and resting places have been set up. Take plenty of time to enjoy this compact piece of floodplain landscape, there is much to explore.
Tip: Every Tuesday at 12 noon, the European pond turtles are fed in the enclosure - you are welcome to watch!

As part of the schlossORTH National Park Centre, the Schlossinsel area can only be visited with a paid admission ticket. The construction of the outdoor adventure area was funded by the European Union.

Further offers in the schlossORTH National Park Center

The exhibition DonAUräume

During guided tours with national park rangers you can explore the history and development of the wild water forest and the national park in the DonAUräume. Participation is the order of the day: clear the stage for the floodplain landscape! Become a creator of this habitat. The faun of the Danube wetlands is your cheeky companion.

Travel through time! What did the area look like 100 years ago, 1,000 or even 10,000 years ago? What could be tomorrow? A bird's eye view of the region from Vienna to Bratislava, or would you rather go in search of your own place of residence? All options are open to you on a walk-through aerial photograph. Finally immerse yourself in the world of the Danube wetlands. Take a seat and experience this ecosystem with its fauna and flora, as well as its offerings for young and old in atmospheric images.

The National Park Lounge and the Tournament Court

Go on a journey of discovery in the National Park Lounge in the foyer: This is where we extend a warm welcome to guests. Admission is free and there is a lot to discover from new perspectives. Would you have known, for example, that huge gravel dunes move along the bottom of the Danube? Dive below the surface of the stream and encounter the rare nose: a fish that loves the stream and the gravel, making it a flagship species for our vision of a free-flowing river. Or simply make yourself comfortable and let yourself be inspired: for a guided tour or a dreamy day in the wetlands.

In the tournament courtyard of the castle you can take a break in between. Furthermore, you can explore the "Pannonian Gardens" in the metal ships, which present special plant communities of the National Park region.

The observation tower with the exhibition "Upwind. The return of the White-tailed Eagle".

This exhibition is an invitation to guests to dive into the world of the sea eagle. Based on the system of school boards, the special bird of prey with all its characteristics and its habitats are presented. One focus is on the occurrence in the Donau-Auen National Park and the importance of protected areas for the population in Europe.

The observation tower also offers a panoramic view of the Danube wetlands. In addition, wild animals living in or near the castle are presented here: White storks, jackdaws, kestrels and several species of bats. Monitors even allow a live view into nesting boxes or nests.

Event hall

The schlossORTH National Park Center is also the event center of the market town of Orth/Donau. The premises can be rented privately: whether birthday party, wedding, lecture or company seminar - our event area offers an ideal setting for up to 180 guests.

museumORTH

This museum is located on the 2nd floor of the castle. The basic idea was to install a village community "photo album", as a reference book for all generations and a gateway to the past. The exhibition theme areas present the cultural history of the region with a focus on Danube life.

More about the museumORTH