Statzendorf – Situla, Churches and Pilgrimage Routes

Statzendorf is shaped by traditional viticulture. As a destination, the municipality brings together archaeological evidence, churches and chapels, and hiking and pilgrimage routes.

Archaeology: Hallstatt Period and Situla

The burial ground at Statzendorf is one of the largest Hallstatt-period burial grounds in Lower Austria, comprising around 380 burials. The Kuffern situla marks a different period: this Celtic wine bucket dates from the early La Tène culture, 475 to 425 BC. On a vessel of this kind, the situla bears the only figurative depiction found to date north of the Alps. Together, the Hallstatt-period burial ground and this outstanding object from the early La Tène period represent distinct archaeological connections.

Churches and Listed Sites

The late Baroque parish church of St Mark in Statzendorf is one of the municipality’s attractions; the “Stone Loaf of Bread” is kept there. The filial church of St Pancras in Kuffern and the Maria Elend pilgrimage chapel are also local attractions. The Chapel of St Helen in Absdorf, formerly a castle chapel, dates from the 17th century.

As of 23 June 2026, Lower Austria’s monument register lists several sites within the municipality as protected by ordinance: in Absdorf, the Chapel of St Helen and the Meierhof (manor farm) of the Walpersdorf estate administration; in Kuffern, the Chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows (Maria Elend). The Catholic filial church of St Pancras, together with its cemetery and defensive wall, is listed there as a protected ensemble. Other listed sites include the field or wayside chapel on Hauptstraße in Statzendorf and wayside shrine 326 in Weidling. Local wayside shrines also include examples with reverse-glass paintings.

Hiking Trails, Pilgrimage Route and Cycling

The Statzendorf hiking routes start at the municipal office and are accessible by train; the railway station is then a five-minute walk from the starting point. If you are travelling by train, you can check the timetable in advance. This lets you factor the walk from the station into your plans.

The Lower Austrian Way of St James passes through the municipality on the section between the Rampelkreuz and the Maria Elend chapel. The chapel lies around two kilometres north of Kuffern, on a hill along the Way of St James. From there, the view stretches north to Göttweig Abbey and south to the Styrian-Lower Austrian Limestone Alps. The Way of St James section from Purkersdorf to Göttweig is 67 kilometres long and is marked by more than 200 signposts and several information boards. For cyclists, a variant of the Fladnitz Valley Cycle Route explicitly runs through Statzendorf; the route also offers a rail connection there.

Viticulture and Local History

Kuffern situla wines can be enjoyed year-round in the municipality’s Heurigen cellars and Buschenschank wine taverns. This also links the name of the situla with a regional wine theme. To learn about the area before your visit, the Statzendorf Topothek offers insights into the history and development of the municipality and its cadastral communities. Before researching digitally, check whether the service is currently available, as its availability and interface may change.

More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Lauterbach, Maria Anzbach, Oed, Rabenstein an der Pielach, Hofstetten, Unterdambach, Ober-Grafendorf, Laaben.

Back to the main travel overview: Sankt Pölten.