Discover Burgau: Castle History, Trails and Pilgrimages

Burgau offers a range of reasons to visit: cultural history, trails through forests and floodplains, pilgrimages, and activities on the water. If you are looking for a hotel in Burgau, you can plan your trip around your interests. The sights and activities have different focuses—from architectural history to cycling and hiking trails.

Moated Castle, Pilgrimage Church and History

The former moated castle “Burg in der Au” was first mentioned in a document in 1367, during the rule of the Lords of Puchheim. Its vaulted cellar, magnificent ballroom, and inner courtyard with arcaded vaulting are used for cultural events, weddings, and conferences. The moated castle hosts numerous exhibitions and guided tours throughout the year. If a guided tour is important to your visit, check the current schedule in advance.

The pilgrimage church of Maria Gnadenbrunn in Burgau also brings together several aspects of local history: its Gothic building was destroyed by the Hungarians in 1418, and the church houses a carved Madonna dating from around 1420/1430. Every August, a pilgrimage sets out from Burgau for Mariazell. The church itself also hosts a pilgrimage every year from May to October, on the 13th day of each month. If you would like to combine your trip with one of these pilgrimages, check the dates.

Near Burgau, a faithfully reconstructed Tschartake—a border guard house—stands on the Kuruzzen hiking trail. It adds another type of historic architecture to the picture alongside the moated castle.

Hiking Trails and Cycling Routes

In Burgau, walking, cycling, and hiking trails pass through extensive forests and the unspoiled Lafnitz floodplains. There are eight hiking trails around the town in total, clearly marked with different colors and varying in length and trail conditions. Trail length and surface therefore give you two practical criteria for comparing routes. As route details may change, check the information before setting out on a hike.

The cycling routes around Burgau are also clearly signposted and vary in difficulty. The EURO VELO 9 European cycle route passes through Burgau. The Thermenland cycle route from Mönichkirchen to Bad Radkersburg also runs through Burgau. When planning, you can distinguish between the routes by their names and the route connections mentioned here; check current route information to confirm the details before your ride.

Water and Nature Experiences

Ziegelteich Burgau is a 2.5-hectare fishing pond. Species found there include carp, tench, whitefish, perch, pike, and zander. If you are interested in fishing, check the applicable fishing regulations in advance.

Schlossbad Burgau features a quartz-filtered natural pond, a modern swimming pool with areas for swimmers and non-swimmers, and a children’s pool. Other facilities include SUP boards, pedal boat rentals, and a sand court for beach volleyball. Schlossbad thus offers a range of options for enjoying the water and being active.

Nature experiences are also among the highlights of Burgau: excursions and events organized by the Burgau Biological Association focus on discovering and experiencing nature firsthand. Event dates are announced separately; if you are interested in a particular event, check the latest dates.

Discover more destinations: Geiseldorf, Sankt Magdalena Am Lemberg, Maierhofbergen, Bad Blumau, Stein, Sankt Johann In Der Haide, Vorau, Tiefenbach Bei Kaindorf.

Go to the regional travel overview: Hartberg-Fürstenfeld.