Visitor attractions in historic Purbach

The emblem of Purbach rises above the chimney of a small house on the main road heading towards Breitenbrunn. According to folklore, during the Turkish siege in 1532 one Turk was sleeping off the excesses of the previous night when the rest of the troops had already left Purbach. Out of fear of being found by the local farmers, he hid in the chimney but was discovered and forced to climb out of the chimney when a fire was lit below him. He became a servant working for the owner of the house and lived in Purbach from that day forth. After his death, the farmer put up the stone bust that can be still be seen today.

Address: Schulgasse 9 (can be seen from house 9 on the B50 Türkenstraße)

Defensive wall with three gates

The wall, armed with arrow slits, which surrounds the heart of the town, is the best preserved wall encircling any town in Burgenland. After Purbach had suffered great losses during the Hungarian uprisings against the Habsburgs, in 1630 Count Nikolaus Esterházy permitted the construction of a defensive system with three gates. Parts of the wall near the Türkentor are particularly well preserved. Parts of Brucker Tor in the north-east and Ruster Tor in the south have been integrated in new buildings. 

Address: Türkentor, Markttor, Brucker Tor, Ruster Tor - town centre

Historic Kellergasse lane of wine cellars

In around 1850,the winegrowers built their wine cellars at the foot of the Leitha Mountains. A series of 50 historic stone cellars make up what is now known as Kellergasse – one of the most attractive squares in the centre of Purbach. A wide range of exquisite wines and Pannonian delicacies are served here. Tip: Opening of the Kellergasse wine taverns on the 1st Saturday of every month.

Address: Kellergasse - town centre

Parish church of Saint Nicholas

The baroque parish church was built in the 17th century and dedicated to the patron saint of fishermen, Saint Nicholas. The 53m north tower is the second tallest church tower in Burgenland. The church was completely renovated in 1984 and extended to the west.

Address: Kirchengasse – town centre

Historic barns

A row of historic barns in traditional style, where Burgenland farmers stored their goods, can be found on Obere Bahngasse. The defensive wall used to run along here, but once the town no longer feared assaults from the Turks, the stones from the walls were use to build these barns at the end of the narrow Streckhöfe (a form of farmhouse found in Austria, where the home, stables and shelter are aligned along long, shallow lots).

Address: Obere Bahngasse – town centre

Nikolauszeche

The Nikolauszeche was first documented in 1551. Locally, the building is also known as the Bethaus (house of prayer) or Kloster (monastery). It was spiritual site that belonged to the Purbach parish church and was originally designed as a small vineyard with cellars. An "eating and drinking room" was added later for the monks. The listed building was lovingly converted into the Herberge an der Nikolauszeche.

Address: Bodenzeile 3-7

Sculpture park

A symposium of sculptors was held in Purbach in the summer of 2012. Three artists produced a work entitled "21. 12. 2012 - Astronomical event" using sandstone from St. Margarethen and Untersberg marble from Salzburg. The results can be seen in the sculpture park.

Address: Ottokar Jacobs-Platz